4th straight 1st-round exit leaves the Lightning searching for answers

The Tampa Bay Lightning dominated most of Game 7, had triple the scoring opportunities and still found a way to lose.

It’s an early exit for the fourth straight season.

A pair of fluky goals helped the Montreal Canadiens beat the Lightning 2-1 on Sunday night, sending Tampa Bay to a familiar first-round exit.

The Lightning played their best game of the series, held the Canadiens to just nine shots and yet are heading on vacation while the Canadiens advance to face the Buffalo Sabres.

Montreal’s first goal bounced off Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser and went in.

The second was whacked out of the air behind the net, hit goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy’s pad and his backside and went in.