Dach's Goal, Assist Power Canadiens to 3-2 OT Win

MONTREAL – Kirby Dach delivered a standout performance with a goal and an assist to help the Montreal Canadiens secure a 3-2 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series on Friday night, giving Montreal a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven matchup.

The win at Bell Centre came just three days after Dach faced sharp criticism for his role in Montreal's 3-2 overtime loss in Game 2. An ill-timed icing and a defensive lapse by the forward allowed Tampa Bay's J.J. Moser to score the decisive goal, prompting backlash from fans on social media and sports radio. Some called for head coach Martin St. Louis to bench Dach in favor of other players, leading the 25-year-old center to delete his Instagram account amid the online vitriol.

Dach, however, rebounded emphatically. Playing on a newly formed line with Alexandre Texier and Zachary Bolduc – their first time together this season – he assisted on Texier's opening goal early in the first period. In the second, Dach tied the game at 2-2 with a shot from the faceoff circle that deflected off Tampa Bay defenseman Ryan McDonagh and past goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. The line remained on the ice for...