Canadiens 1 - 4 Lightning
Final
  for this game

Stamkos leads Lightning past Habs

Dec 31, 2010 - 3:58 AM Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - Steven Stamkos registered two goals and two assists as Tampa Bay scored four unanswered goals to defeat Montreal, 4-1, at St. Pete Times Forum.

Martin St. Louis posted a goal and an assist for the Lightning, who have won seven of their last nine games. Pavel Kubina added a goal, while Cedrick Desjardins made 27 saves in his NHL debut.

Max Pacioretty notched the lone goal for the Canadiens, who are 1-5-0 during a season-high seven-game road trip that ends Friday against the Panthers.

Carey Price stopped just 16 of the 20 shots he faced before getting benched in the third. Alex Auld came on in relief and turned aside all three shots he faced.

Montreal took a 1-0 lead only 58 seconds into the game, when Pacioretty raced down the left boards and sent a shot toward the net that clipped a Lightning player's skate before heading into the net.

But the Canadiens didn't score again, and the Lightning rallied for four straight goals during the final two periods.

Tampa Bay tied the game 2:48 into the second period during a 5-on-3 power- play. St. Louis held the puck deep in the zone until he finally found an open slot above Price's shoulder, and sent it into the net on a sharp angle.

The Lightning took their first lead of the game with 7:29 left in the middle frame, when Kubina centered the puck from behind the net. The disc deflected off Montreal's Jaroslav Spacek, who had fallen to the ice while wrestling for position.

Stamkos made it a two-goal cushion 1:46 into the final period by scoring on a penalty shot. He then added an even strength goal at the 4:40 mark, forcing a Habs goaltender change.

Meanwhile, Desjardins stopped 15 third-period shots to make the large lead stand.

Game Notes

Montreal fell to 8-11-0 on the road this season...The Lightning were 1-for-6 on the power play, while the Canadiens were 0-for-5.






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