MONTREAL (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Lightning scored three times in the first period and cruised to a 6-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre on Tuesday night. Darren Raddysh scored twice for the Lightning, who snapped a four-game losing streak. Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Pontus Holmberg and Charles-Edouard D’Astous also scored. Jonas Johansson made 26 saves for Tampa Bay. Oliver Kapanen scored the lone goal for Montreal, which has lost two straight. The announced attendance was 20,962. Tampa Bay improved to 17-13. Montreal fell to 15-14. The Lightning next play at New Jersey on Thursday.

MONTREAL (Interstat) — The Tampa Bay Lightning, mired in a four-game losing streak and struggling to find offense, erupted for three first-period goals and never looked back in a commanding 6-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night at Bell Centre. A crowd of 20,962 watched as the Lightning snapped their skid in emphatic fashion, overwhelming the Canadiens with a relentless attack and stifling defense. The win improved Tampa Bay’s record to 17-13, while Montreal fell to 15-14. The most important part of the game was its opening frame, where Tampa Bay seized immediate control. After weathering some early pressure from the Canadiens, the Lightning’s stars took over. Nikita Kucherov opened the scoring at 17:12 of the first period, unleashing a powerful slap shot for his 13th goal of the season. Just over five minutes later, Brayden Point doubled the lead, finishing a play with a precise wrist shot. The early knockout blow came at the 6:03 mark when Pontus Holmberg converted to make it 3-0, effectively silencing the home crowd before the first intermission. Darren Raddysh, named the game’s top star, led the offensive charge from the blue line. The defenseman from Toronto scored twice, including a power-play goal in the third period that cemented the rout. His performance was a stark contrast to his recent outings during the Lightning’s slump, where he had been held without a point in the four consecutive losses. Tampa Bay’s depth was on full display. Charles-Edouard D’Astous, a defenseman from Rimouski, Quebec, playing in his home province, contributed a goal and five shots. Kucherov finished with a goal and an assist, while Point also had a goal and a helper. Goaltender Jonas Johansson was steady when called upon, stopping 26 of 27 shots for the win. Montreal’s lone bright spot came on a second-period power play. With D’Astous in the box for tripping, Oliver Kapanen batted a puck out of mid-air past Johansson at 18:06 of the middle frame, assisted by Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov. That goal briefly cut the deficit to 4-1, but any momentum was swiftly extinguished. The Canadiens, who entered the game as a 1.5-goal favorite according to pregame betting lines, were thoroughly outplayed. Their offense, which had shown life in recent wins, managed just the single tally despite several power-play opportunities. Goaltender Jakub Dobes started but was replaced by Samuel Montembeault after allowing four goals on 18 shots through two periods. Montembeault surrendered two more in the third. The game grew increasingly chippy as the score widened. A third-period fight between Tampa Bay’s Scott Sabourin and Montreal’s Josh Anderson highlighted the frustration for the home side. The Canadiens took seven penalties to Tampa Bay’s six, with defenseman Arber Xhekaj taking two minor infractions. The result defied the pregame projections from National Statistical, whose game simulator had predicted a narrow 3-2 Tampa Bay victory. While their ELO system gave the Lightning a 59.2% probability to win, the lopsided score and the total of seven goals combined both surpassed the expected margin and went over the set over/under line of 6.5. For Tampa Bay, the victory provides a critical reset. After being shut out in their previous two games and scoring only three total goals in their four-game losing streak, the six-goal outburst reaffirms their offensive capabilities. They will look to build on this performance as they continue a road trip with games at New Jersey on Thursday and the New York Islanders on Saturday. Montreal, meanwhile, must regroup quickly after a deflating performance on home ice. The Canadiens begin a three-game road trip in Pittsburgh on Thursday, followed by a matchup with the New York Rangers on Saturday. They will see the Lightning again in less than three weeks when they visit Tampa Bay on Dec. 28. The Lightning’s decisive win, built on a dominant first period and key contributions from throughout the lineup, served notice that their recent struggles may be a temporary lapse rather than a lasting trend.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING (16-12-0) at MONTREAL CANADIENS (15-13-0) Preview MONTREAL (Interstat) — Two Eastern Conference teams on similar trajectories will meet Tuesday night when the Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Both clubs are looking to rebound from weekend shutout losses and enter the contest separated by just two points in the standings. The Lightning (16-12-0) were blanked 2-0 at home by the New York Islanders on Saturday, while the Canadiens (15-13-0) fell 4-3 to the St. Louis Blues on Sunday. A key matchup will be in goal, where Tampa Bay’s Jonas Johansson is expected to start. Johansson, who made 17 saves in the loss to the Islanders, has been inconsistent recently. In his last six appearances, he has two wins but has allowed four or more goals three times, including a 7-3 loss to the New York Rangers on Nov. 12 where he was pulled after allowing six goals on seven shots. Montreal will counter with a defense led by Noah Dobson, who has been a bright spot. The defenseman is coming off a two-point performance (one goal, one assist) against St. Louis and has six points in his last 10 games, providing crucial offense from the blue line. The Lightning have struggled offensively of late, scoring just three total goals in their last two games after a stretch where they won five of six. Montreal’s form has been mixed, with a 3-4-3 record in its last 10, though it secured a shootout win in Toronto on Dec. 6. According to National Statistical’s game simulator, the projected final score is Tampa Bay 3, Montreal 2. This is the first of two meetings between the teams this month. They will meet again in Tampa on Dec. 28. Next Games: Tampa Bay: Thursday at New Jersey. Montreal: Thursday at Pittsburgh.