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Canadiens' Alexandre Carrier: Nabs assist in return
Rotowire
Carrier logged an assist, three hits and two blocked shots in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over the Lightning in Game 1.
Carrier missed nine games to close out the regular season, but he's ready to roll in the playoffs. He'll get a top-four role right out of the gate this postseason, but expect the defenseman's minutes to decline once Noah Dobson (upper body) returns. Carrier had 22 points over 73 regular-season outings, and in prior playoff runs, he's collected 10 points over 21 appearances.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Some struggles in Game 1 OT loss
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Vasilevskiy made 15 saves in a 4-3 overtime loss to Montreal in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Sunday.
Vasilevskiy allowed three power-play goals, including three to Juraj Slafkovsky. The winner, which came off Slafkovsky's stick, found space glove-side inside the post. Vasilevskiy's angle was off on the shot; that's not something that happens often. He was outgoalied by opponent Jakub Dobes on Sunday. Vasilevskiy has struggled the last three postseasons, and the Bolts have seen Round 1 losses each of those years (once to the Maple Leafs, twice to the Panthers). The netminder had an exceptional regular season, but he still needs to exorcise his recent playoff demons.
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Lightning's Darren Raddysh: Goal scoring extends into playoffs
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Raddysh scored a power-play goal in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Sunday.
Raddysh continues to channel his best Al MacInnis with his bombs from the point. Teammate Victor Hedman (personal) remains out, and Charle-Edouard D'Astous (undisclosed) was unable to return to Game 1 after a hard hit in the second period. Raddysh will be the Bolts' lead actor from the back end in Game 2 on Tuesday.
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Lightning's Brandon Hagel: Two goals in Game 1 overtime loss
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Hagel scored two goals in a 4-3 overtime loss to Montreal in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Sunday.
Hagel put the Bolts up 2-1 at 12:44 of the second period; his second goal came on the power play in the third. It tied the score 3-3. Hagel joined the Bolts the season after the team's last Stanley Cup win, and he's hungry to lift Lord Stanley. Game 2 is Tuesday.
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Lightning's Jake Guentzel: Trio of helpers in Game 1 loss
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Guentzel set up all of Tampa Bay's goals in a 4-3 overtime loss to Montreal in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Sunday.
Two came on the power play. But for all of his offense, Guentzel was in the box for the winning goal after he took a high-sticking minor with 21 seconds left in regulation. He is looking to earn his second Stanley Cup ring. His first came in 2016-17 with Pittsburgh. Guentzel took a three-game, five-point scoring streak (four assists; seven shots) into Game 1.
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Lightning's Charle-Edouard D'Astous: Status in question going forward
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D'Astous (undisclosed) exited Sunday's 4-3 overtime loss to Montreal in Game 1 and did not return.
D'Astous left the game after being hit by Josh Anderson, who received a minor penalty for charging on the play. There was no update on the 27-year-old defenseman's status after the game. If D'Astous is sidelined for Game 2 on Tuesday, Declan Carlile will probably draw into the lineup in a third-pairing capacity.
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Lightning's Nikita Kucherov: Two power-play helpers in Game 1
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Kucherov put up two power-play assists in a 4-3 overtime loss to Montreal in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Sunday.
With the points, Kucherov has 173 career postseason points, and he moved past greats Mario Lemiux and Peter Forsberg into sole possession of 19th all-time. Sunday's game was a touch sloppy from a penalty perspective, so it was challenging to get flow 5-on-5. Kucherov is out to prove that his postseason disappearances the last three seasons (one goal in 16 games, but 16 assists) is a thing of the past. Tampa Bay was ousted in Round 1 in each of the last three seasons.
Slafkovsky scored three power-play goals, including the overtime winner, in a 4-3 win over the Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round.
Slafkovsky is the third player in Canadiens postseason history to score a hat trick that included the overtime winner. The others? Eric Desjardins in 1993 and Gerry Plamondon all the way back in 1949. The Habs have been in existence for 117 seasons, including 109 in the NHL. Slafkovsky was utterly dominant -- he had seven of the Habs' 20 shots on the night and was composed no matter what was happening on the ice. He has taken his game to a whole new level this season. Slafkovsky delivered his first 30-goal regular season, set a career mark in points (73) and finished fourth overall in scoring at the 2026 Winter Olympics for Team Slovakia. This could be the ascendence of another superstar.
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Canadiens' Jakub Dobes: Game 1 starter
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Dobes will get the start in net Sunday for Game 1 against the Lightning, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports.
Dobes will get the nod for the postseason opener over 21-year-old rookie Jacob Fowler and veteran Sam Montembeault. The 24-year-old Dobes finished the regular season with a 29-10-4 record, a 2.78 GAA and a .901 save percentage while leading Montreal's netminders with 43 games played. He enters the postseason in a bit of a slump, having allowed at least three goals in four of his last five starts. Dobes will have his hands full with the Lightning, who ranked fourth in the NHL at 3.49 goals per game in the regular season.
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Canadiens' Alexandre Carrier: Ready to rock
Rotowire
Carrier (upper body) will play against Tampa Bay on Sunday in Game 1, Eric Engels of Sportsnet reports.
Following a nine-game absence to close out the regular season, Carrier will return to a top-pairing role in Sunday's lineup against the Lightning. He generated seven goals, 22 points, 56 shots on net and 155 blocked shots across 73 appearances during the 2025-26 regular season.
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Lightning's Jonas Johansson: Will suit up Sunday
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Johansson (undisclosed) took the ice for warmups and will suit up as the backup for Sunday's Game 1 against the Canadiens, Benjamin Pierce of the Lightning's official site reports.
Johansson did not dress in the Lightning's final two regular-season games due to an undisclosed injury, but he is good to go for the beginning of the postseason. The 30-year-old is clearly entrenched as the backup behind Andrei Vasilevskiy heading into Tampa Bay's first-round series against the Canadiens. Johansson went 11-10-2 with a 3.29 GAA and an .884 save percentage during the regular season.
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Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy: Between pipes Sunday
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Vasilevskiy will patrol the home crease against Montreal on Sunday in Game 1, Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Vasilevskiy has won four of his last six outings, allowing only 13 goals on 147 shots. He posted a 39-15-4 record with two shutouts, a 2.31 GAA and a .911 save percentage across 58 appearances during the 2025-26 regular season.
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Lightning's Dominic James: Activated ahead of postseason
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James (lower body) was activated from long-term injured reserve Sunday, per the NHL media site.
James is back ahead of schedule for the Lightning as the 23-year-old was given a timeline of 8-10 weeks in early March after undergoing surgery. He had 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 43 games played during the regular season. If he suits up in Game 1 against the Canadiens on Sunday, it would be the rookie's first game since Feb. 28.
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Lightning's Mitchell Chaffee: Sent back to AHL
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Chaffee was reassigned to AHL Syracuse on Sunday.
Chaffee was recalled to play in the Lightning's regular-season finale against the Rangers, and he notched an assist for his first point of the season in his 11th NHL game of the campaign. The 28-year-old has excelled at the AHL level, registering 57 points (24 goals, 33 assists) in 54 games.
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Lightning's Jakob Pelletier: Loaned to AHL affiliate
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Pelletier was returned to AHL Syracuse on Sunday.
Pelletier racked up 28 goals and 77 points in 63 games for the Crunch during the AHL regular season. He should be an integral offensive performer for the team during the Calder Cup Playoffs.
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Lightning's Conor Geekie: Recalled ahead of Game 1
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Geekie has been recalled from AHL Syracuse by the Lightning, the team announced Sunday.
Geekie was sent back down to the AHL before the Lightning's last regular-season game to continue to help Syracuse's stretch run and quest for a division title. However, ahead of the Lightning's first-round playoff series with the Canadiens, Geekie has been summoned from the minors once again, likely to serve as one of the extra forwards. The 21-year-old has one goal and two assists in 14 NHL contests this season.
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Lightning's Steve Santini: Assigned to AHL
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Santini was loaned to AHL Syracuse on Sunday.
Santini had one assist, four shots on net, seven blocked shots and nine hits in 12 NHL appearances during the 2025-26 regular season. He appears poised to play for the Crunch in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
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Lightning's Brandon Halverson: Summoned from minors
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Halverson was recalled from AHL Syracuse on Sunday.
Halverson could serve as Andrei Vasilevskiy's backup in Game 1 against Montreal on Sunday if Jonas Johansson (undisclosed) remains unavailable. The 30-year-old Halverson posted a 24-11-6 record with a 2.42 GAA and a .905 save percentage in 43 AHL games during the 2025-26 regular season.
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