NBCSN’s coverage of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final continues with Wednesday’s Game 2 between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning. Canadiens-Lightning stream coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN and Peacock. You can watch the game online and on the NBC Sports app by clicking here.
It was all Lightning from the get-go in Game 1, as defenseman Eric Cernak scored the opening goal just over six minutes into the game. Semifinal Game 7 hero Yanni Gourde extended the Tampa lead to 2-0 early in the second. Montreal showed life late in the middle frame, as Ben Chiarot’s shot from the point pinballed off two Lightning players and in to make it 2-1. The Lightning pulled away in the third though as Nikita Kucherov scored twice, and then assisted Steven Stamkos on a late power-play goal, ending the Canadiens historic penalty kill run to put a cap on Tampa’s 5-1 win.
The icing on the cake in the Lightning’s win was that Tampa’s final goal came on the power play with 1:10 remaining and snapped Montreal’s record run of 13 straight playoff games without allowing a power play goal. The streak ended at 32 consecutive penalties killed.
Kucherov, who played 18:54, took over the game in the third period. His three points upped his league-high total for this postseason to 30 (7G-23A), making him the fifth player in NHL history with 30-plus points in multiple playoff years. He joins Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as the only players in NHL history with consecutive 30-plus point postseasons.
[PRE-GAME COVERAGE BEGINS AT 7 P.M. ET - NBCSN]
WHAT: Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning
WHERE: AMALIE Arena
WHEN: Wednesday, June 30, 7 p.m. ET
TV: NBCSN / Peacock
ON THE CALL: Kenny Albert, Brian Boucher, Pierre McGuire
LIVE STREAM: You can watch the Canadiens-Lightning stream on NBC Sports’ live stream page and the NBC Sports app.
CANADIENS VS. LIGHTNING (TB leads series 1-0)
Game 1: Lightning 5, Canadiens 1
Game 2: Wed. June 30: Canadiens at Lightning, 8 p.m. ET (NBCSN / Peacock)
Game 3: Fri. July 2: Lightning at Canadiens, 8 p.m. ET (NBC / Peacock) - livestream
Game 4: Mon. July 5: Lightning at Canadiens, 8 p.m. ET (NBC / Peacock) - livestream
*Game 5: Wed. July 7: Canadiens at Lightning, 8 p.m. ET (NBC / Peacock)
*Game 6: Fri. July 9: Lightning at Canadiens, 8 p.m. ET (NBC / Peacock)
*Game 7: Sun. July 11: Canadiens at Lightning, 7 p.m. ET (NBC / Peacock)
*if necessary
