While at least five goals were scored in each of the previous five matches, this time only one decided the winner. Game 6 of the playoff series between Montreal and Tampa Bay featured a big goaltending performance.
02/05/2026 05:52
Photo: Minas Panagiotakis / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP / Profimedia
Juraj Slafkovský in the sixth match between Montreal and Tampa.
It was finally decided by a single shot in the 10th minute of overtime. Its author was guest Gage Goncalves, thanks to which the Lightning evened the series at 3:3.
Only the seventh duel, which will take place in Tampa on the night from Sunday to Monday, will decide who advances.
In the sixth meeting, everything was ready for the Canadiens’ advancement celebrations, but its scorers led by Juraj Slafkovský got wet with gunpowder.
The Slovak attacker sent two shots at the goalkeeper Andrei Vasilevski, but he was not successful in either of them. The Russian goalie neutralized a total of thirty attempts by the home team. Tampa sent three more shots at Jakub Dobeš in Montreal’s goal.
This time, Slafkovský did not start in the attack alongside Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, but in the second attacking formation with Ivan Demidov and Jak Evans.
Read more We watched the sixth game of the series between Montreal and Tampa ONLINE
He was the second busiest forward of the home team, spending 22:31 minutes on the ice, blocking two shots and adding three hits.
And it was he who could send Montreal to the coveted second round of the playoffs. The Slovakian winger found himself alone at the right post after Lane Hutson’s shot and it looked like he would become the hero of the evening.
However, Vasilevsky confirmed why he is considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world when he stopped his attempt with a brilliant save and gave his team another chance, which Goncalves used in the 70th minute.
Together with him, Erik Černák, who once again did a great defensive job, enjoyed his third victory in the series. One of Tampa’s most experienced backs was on the ice for 23:10 minutes, had two shots on goal, blocked one shot and added three hits.
The Buffalo Sabers hockey players won on Saturday night in the 1st round of the playoffs of the overseas NHL on the ice of the Boston Bruins 4:1 and won the entire series 4:2 for the matches.
The Sabers won a playoff series for the first time since 2007. Their goals were scored by Alex Tuch, Mattias Samuelsson, Zach Benson and Josh Norris, and goaltender Alex Lyon had 25 saves.
Czech gunner David Pastrňák scored the only goal for the Bruins.
The last to advance from the Western Conference were the Vegas Golden Knights, who won Saturday night on the ice of Utah high 5-1 and won the series 4-2 games.
The hero of the duel was Mitchell Marner, who scored two goals and added an assist.
NHL results:
1st round of playoffs: Montreal – Tampa Bay 0:1 pp, series status: 3:3, Buffalo – Boston 1:4, series result: 2:4, Utah – Vegas 1:5, series result: 2:4.
