Canadiens overcome blown leads vs. Lightning to steal Game 5

In one of the closest series of the first round, the Montreal Canadiens stole Game 5 from the Tampa Bay Lightning with the only third-period goal. 

The Canadiens now hold a 3-2 series lead after winning 3-2 on Wednesday night, thanks to an Alexandre Texier goal 1:06 into the last period of regulation. 

Texier got the puck past Andrei Vasilevskiy, which avoided the third overtime of the series. 

Canadiens won despite getting significantly outshot and blowing multiple leads 

Montreal's game-winner ruined a night otherwise dominated in many ways by the Lightning. Tampa Bay won the shots battle 40-24. But Jakub Dobes held serve enough to give his team a chance at the end. 

Montreal also managed to leave the ice with the victory despite squandering multiple one-goal leads. Brendan Gallagher opened up the scoring with the lone goal of the first period. 

Dominic Jones would get Tampa on the board to tie the game at 6:49 of the second, only to have Kirby Dach put the Canadiens back on top. 

However, Jake Guentzel, known throughout his career as a clutch playoff performer, scored an unassisted tally late in the second session, tying the game and giving the home team a temporary jolt of life. 

That jolt was short-lived, as the Canadiens did what they had to do to defend their slim lead after Texier's third-period goal to break the tie.