The Tampa Bay Lightning (30-7-2) won another wild December game, knocking off the Montreal Canadiens 6-5 (20-14-5) on Saturday night at Amalie Arena.
For the second game since the Christmas break, the Lightning allowed their opponent to strike first. Montreal built a 2-0 lead in a sixteen second stretch in the first period with goals from Andrew Shaw and Kenny Agostino at the halfway point of the first. As the Lightning have been known to do, however, they found an answer, as Yanni Gourde and Anton Strallman scored to tie the game 2-2. Jordie Benn tied the game near the end of the period and the first intermission came with Montreal leading the game 3-2.
The Lightning pushed back once again early in the third period. Nikita Kucherov scored at the 7:55 mark, followed by Tyler Johnson at the 8:33 mark, to give the Bolts a 4-3 lead. Montreal then answered with two more goals - first from Brett Kulak, then a second from Andrew Shaw - to give the Canadiens a 5-4 lead heading into the third period.
The third period belonged to Adam Erne. Erne, who had the primary assist on Yanni Gourde's goal back in the first, scored to tie the game 5-5 at the 9:36 mark. It was his blast with 1:02 to go that would lift the Lightning to a regulation 6-5 win over the Canadiens and continue the team's crazy good run through the month of December.
The Lightning now look to wrap up December without a regulation loss as they began a West Coast road trip on Monday. The Lightning begin the California swing in Anaheim to battle the Ducks - puck drop on Monday night is scheduled for 8 PM, with pregame coverage beginning at 7:30 on News Radio 970 WFLA.