This edition of the Hidden Game is dedicated to the young at heart. And to those who truly are young.
Brendan Gallagher, at age 33, is a shadow of the player who broke in with the Canadiens more than a decade ago. But we have long maintained — and will never waver — that he remains the heart and soul of this team.
The veteran forward made his 2026 playoff debut Wednesday night against Tampa Bay after being a healthy scratch for the first four games of this series. And Gallagher wasted little time making an immediate impact — as you knew he would.
Playing for Oliver Kapanen — one of several Montreal players who have been missing in action this series — Gallagher scored the Canadiens’ opening goal, three minutes in, and the visitors prevailed 3-2 at Benchmark International Arena, taking a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
That was Gallagher’s only shot of the game. He played only 6:48 but had three hits and went to the net. Constantly. And we defy anyone to provide an example of anyone who played harder, and more meaningful, for 408 seconds. This was his 77th career playoff game. Nothing beats experience.
Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) makes a save on the puck of Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli (71) during the third period in Game 5 of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Tampa. Luis Santana / Tampa Bay Times
And that brings us to the young: It’s hard to believe Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes still, technically, is a rookie. And that the Czech native is only 24. Perhaps he’s simply too young and naive to know better; to realize the Stanley Cup playoffs are a pressure cooker. He seems oblivious to it all, and that remains both refreshing and redeeming.
Dobes stopped 38 of 40 shots for a .950 save percentage. He was peppered with 17 Lightning shots in the third period, and didn’t allow a goal. It was a remarkable performance; one for the ages.
Memo to Martin St. Louis: Play Gallagher Friday. Somehow the Canadiens’ head coach always seems cognizant of which buttons to push and has the pulse of this team like few before him.
Random thought of the night: Only 13 more wins and the Canadiens will be Stanley Cup champions. More importantly, one more victory and the Lightning will be eliminated.
Strange, but true (Part I): For the fifth time in this series, the margin of victory was one goal.
Strange, but true (Part II): While the Canadiens have now been outscored 4-2 in the third period, they’ve won every game that was tied following 40 minutes.
News you need (Part I): Only nine times this season have the Canadiens lost consecutive games. Neither team in the series has won two straight.
News you need (Part II): With an assist on Alexandre Texier’s winning goal, defenceman Lane Hutson is riding a five-game point streak.
Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli (71) is knocked to the ice by Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson (48) as the puck slides by Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) during the first period in Game 5 of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Tampa. Dirk Shadd / Tampa Bay Times
News you need (Part III): Nick Suzuki drew the other assist on Texier’s goal. That was the first even-strength point produced by any member of the Canadiens’ top line — although they’ve yet to score when playing 5-on-5.
Our cheap shot of the night: Is it time to put Cole Caufield’s photo on the side of a milk carton? Caufield, a 51-goal man during the regular season, still has only one playoff score. He had only one shot in this game and, uncharacteristically, was limited to 13:13 of ice time. Something’s not right with him.
On the other hand: Canadiens killer Brandon Hagel, who had six goals through four games, finally was held without a score — although he did generate five shots.
Canadiens centre Kirby Dach (77) beats Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) for a second-period goal as Tampa Bay Lightning centre Gage Goncalves (93) and Canadiens left wing Alexandre Texier (85) look on in Game 5 of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Tampa. Dirk Shadd / Tampa Bay Times
Sieve of the night: Andrei Vasilevskiy was beaten on the second, 10th and 19th shots he faced. Texier’s winning goal deflected off Vasilevskiy’s glove. It was the first shot he faced in the third period. His save percentage was .875.
How’s that for irony: Earlier in the day, Vasilevskiy was named a Vézina Trophy finalist for the fifth time in his career. He led the NHL, with 39 wins, becoming the second goalie in league history — behind Martin Brodeur — to post nine consecutive 30-win seasons. Vasilevskiy won the Vézina in 2019.
Dumb penalty: Ryan McDonagh’s double-minor for high-sticking Suzuki in the first period. But the Canadiens failed to take advantage, limited to two shots.
Game of inches (Part I): Oliver Bjorkstrand hit the crossbar in the first period.
Hit of the night (Part I): Hagel on Alexandre Carrier in the opening period.
Hit of the night (Part II): Hutson on Brayden Point in the second period.
Tampa Bay Lightning centre Dominic James (17) celebrates his second-period goal with teammates against the Canadiens in Game 5 of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Tampa. Dirk Shadd / Tampa Bay Times
It only hurts when we pinch (Part I): Kaiden Guhle was caught up ice, creating a two-on-one break and the Lightning’s opening goal, by Dominic James, tying the score 1-1.
Momentum … schmomentum: Only 11 seconds later, Kirby Dach’s solo effort restored the Canadiens’ one-goal lead.
It only hurts when we pinch (Part II): Not only was Mike Matheson caught up ice, his shot missed the net. That created a two-on-one break and Tampa Bay’s second goal, by Jake Guentzel, tying the score, 2-2.
Tampa Bay Lightning centre Jake Guentzel (59) scores a goal on Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) in the second period of Game 5 of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Tampa. Luis Santana / Tampa Bay Times
Our Nikita Kucherov moment of the night: The notorious forward took an evening away from trying to win an Oscar. Nonetheless, his second-period slash on Zachary Bolduc wasn’t penalized. Predictably.
Late goals kill: Guentzel scored with 2:37 remaining in the second period.
Until they don’t: Texier scored at 1:06 of the third.
Game of inches (Part II): Darren Raddysh hit the post early in the same period.
Next time, decline the penalty: The Lightning went 0-for-3 on the power play.
Quick stats: Of the Canadiens’ 24 shots, Juraj Slafkovsky, Jake Evans and Ivan Demidov each had three. Josh Anderson, Guhle and Jayden Struble each had four hits. Carrier and Matheson each blocked four shots. Matheson played 27:54. Defensive specialist Phillip Danault played 19:40, including the last three-plus minutes. The Canadiens won 66 per cent of their faceoffs. Suzuki won nine of 12, while Evans won 12 of 14. Montreal enjoyed a 37-23 advantage in hits.
Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis is seen along the bench during the second period against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Tampa. Dirk Shadd / Tampa Bay Times
They said it: “Coming in, I just tried to follow their lead,” Gallagher said in Tampa. “Tried to find a way to contribute. I thought I was able to do that. The group right now is really dialed in, playing some really solid hockey. It’s fun to be a part of. You take nothing for granted. I know how good this group is and how deep they are. Opportunities are going to be limited. That doesn’t mean they’re not going to come. You’ve just got to be ready when they do. When your number’s called you just want to make sure you’re accountable to your teammates and get the job done.”
“I was happy for (Gallagher) and for us,” St. Louis said. “Happy for him that he was able to give us an early lead. You know where (Gallagher’s) going to go. He’s going to go right where he scored his goal. It came at a time in the series when we probably needed a little more of that. I know (Gallagher’s) going to give you that. I’m really happy with the way he has handled everything. I’m not surprised how he did tonight.”
“We experienced it the last game — how to lose the lead,” Dobes said. “We knew how it feels and what to do. I’m really proud of the group. We knew we needed to step up. I wouldn’t say the last game was unacceptable, but it hurt. It felt bad. Today we tried to bring our A-game and play as a team. Everyone was diving, doing everything to try to keep the puck out of the net. I’m really proud of the guys.”
“If you look at our lineup or ask anyone in this room, everybody’s scoring goals or producing points,” Dach said. “But sometimes that’s not what the game asks of you. When you do get rewarded it’s obviously nice.”
“We were structured,” Anderson said. “We had a game plan going into the last couple minutes and I thought we executed pretty good. We’ve come a long way. We’ve been over it many times — what we need to do to lock games down. Sometimes it hasn’t gone our way.”
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