Despite being dramatically outplayed and outskated by the Canadiens in the first period, the Bolts found themselves in a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes. Steven Stamkos scored his 43rd goal and 95th point on the year, after his backhanded pass out to the front of the net deflected off of Max Domi’s skate and past Carey Price.
After the Bolts were able to kill off a Mikhail Sergachev interference penalty, the Habs knotted it up at 1-1 on a Nate Thompson top-shelf goal.
The Lightning were lucky to be tied at 1-1 at the end of the first, with most of the credit being owed to Eddie Pasquale who blocked 18 shots in the first period, which included some highlight-reel saves on a breakaway shot by Brendan Gallagher and a Tomas Tatar shot and follow-up rebound attempt by Gallagher.