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Another home loss in the playoffs has the Tampa Bay Lightning on the brink of an early vacation again. Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed a fluke goal on the day he was nominated for the Vezina Trophy, the offense struggled to win face-offs, lucky bounces went the other way and the Lightning lost to the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Wednesday night to fall behind 3-2 in the series. Game 6 is Friday night in Montreal. The Lightning are facing a fourth straight first-round elimination since falling two wins short of a Stanley Cup three-peat in 2022.
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Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov (86) reacts after the team lost to the Montréal Canadiens in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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Montréal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) stops a shot by Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Oliver Bjorkstrand (22) during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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Montréal Canadiens center Kirby Dach (77) celebrates with the bench after his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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Montréal Canadiens center Kirby Dach (77) watches his shot get past Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) and center Gage Goncalves (93) for a goal during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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Tampa Bay Lightning center Dominic James (17) watches his shot get past Montréal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) for a goal during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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Tampa Bay Lightning center Dominic James (17) shoots for a goal after getting past Montréal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a glove save on a shot by Montréal Canadiens center Alex Newhook (15) during the second period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh (27) beats Montréal Canadiens center Phillip Danault (24) to a loose puck during the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
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Montréal Canadiens center Kirby Dach (77) plays a loose puck in front of Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) during the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)