Evans game-winner, Montembeault’s 21 saves, and more: 3 reasons why Montreal Canadiens won 5-2 over Tampa Bay Lightning

The Montreal Canadiens got a big 5-2 win over their division rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, on Sunday night at Amalie Arena. The Habs got goals from Alex Newhook, Christian Dvorak, Jake Evans, Joel Armia, and Brendan Gallagher. Meanwhile, Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov scored for the Bolts.

So, let’s take a look at the three main reasons why the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday night.

3 reasons why Montreal Canadiens won over Tampa Bay Lightning

#3 The Canadiens outplayed a fatigued Tampa Bay team

The Montreal Canadiens took advantage of a tired Lightning squad on Sunday night. The Lightning had played the night before, beating the New York Rangers 6-2 at home.

However, it seemed like the Bolts ran out of gas against the Habs. The game was close after 40 minutes when Kucherov’s 17th of the season put the Bolts one goal behind. The Habs then pulled away in the third period, scoring twice to seal the win.

It’s worth pointing out the Habs outshot the Bolts 14-8 and 14-5 in the second and third periods, highlighting their dominant performance.

#2 The Habs got depth scoring

On a night in which Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield failed to get on the scoresheet, the Montreal Canadiens depth scoring picked up the slack. In particular, Jake Evans scored for the fifth game in a row, giving him 10 goals on the season.

Similarly, Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia chipped in to help power the Habs past a tough division rival. The depth scoring on Sunday night was encouraging as the Habs have relied far too much on their top six to get going.

When Caufield or Suzuki fails to score, the Habs end up lacking punch. So, getting scoring from other parts of the lineup bodes well for the Canadiens as they look to climb out of the Atlantic Division cellar for good.

#1 Strong outing from Montembeault

Samuel Montembeault has become an unsung hero for the Canadiens this season. He’s consistently improved throughout the campaign, giving the Habs reliable goaltending.

Against the Bolts, Montembeault made 21 of 23 saves. Most importantly, having Montembeault play well in the crease boosts the Canadiens’ overall confidence level.

That situation was evident against the Lightning as the Canadiens poured on the pressure in the third period. If the Habs can keep up this sort of effort, they should become a force to be reckoned with in 2025.

After winning back-to-back games this weekend, the Habs will get a well-deserved break on Monday before taking on the Vegas Golden Knights on New Year’s Eve.