Slafkovsky’s OT Hat Trick

Juraj Slafkovsky scored all three of his goals on the power play, then ended Game 1 at 1:22 of overtime as Montreal beat Tampa Bay 4-3. (nhl.com) The 22-year-old winger gave the Canadiens a road win Sunday, April 19, in the Eastern Conference first-round opener at Benchmark International Arena. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each had two assists, and Tampa Bay got two goals from Brandon Hagel. (nhl.com) Slafkovsky became the first Canadiens player to score three power-play goals in a Stanley Cup Playoff game. NHL.com called it his first career postseason hat trick, with the winner beating Andrei Vasilevskiy from the left circle. (nhl.com) Montreal needed all of it because Tampa Bay’s penalties kept opening the door. The Lightning said they allowed three power-play goals and called their own penalty trouble too much to overcome in the overtime loss. (nhl.com) That is how a playoff game can swing fast: one special-teams scorer gets repeated chances, and a series favorite drops the opener at home. NBC Sports described Slafkovsky’s finish as the kind of single-night performance that can decide a postseason game by itself. (nbcsports.com) For Montreal, the game also sharpened the case for the player it took No. 1 overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. Goalie Jakub Dobes said afterward that Slafkovsky was “a big-time player” and was proving the Canadiens made the right draft decision. (nhl.com) The opener did not end the series, but it changed the pressure around Game 2. NHL.com listed the next game for Tuesday night in Tampa, with Montreal carrying a 1-0 lead after Slafkovsky turned one power-play touch after another into the entire margin. (nhl.com)