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MONTREAL — Artturi Lehkonen was standing at the same end of the ice where he scored the Canadiens’ most important goal of this century. That goal, the Game 6 overtime winner that sent Montreal to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, played above him on the Bell Centre jumbotron.

There will be tougher games ahead, for sure. I can think of two later this week, Thursday night and Saturday night against these same New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Then, of course, there will be a difficult first-round playoff series against Boston, Carolina or New Jersey.

TAMPA — After falling behind by two goals midway through the second period Sunday night against the Winnipeg Jets, the Lightning had several opportunities to even the score.

ST. LOUIS — For one of the rare times against Vegas, the Blues outshot the Golden Knights and had plenty of scoring chances.

PITTSBURGH — Kris Letang scored a power-play goal 1:38 into overtime Sunday to give the Penguins an emotional 3-2 win over the New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena.

In case you missed it, the OSU women's ice hockey squad is on to the Frozen Four! #GoBucks

DETROIT — Tyler Bertuzzi has been in many games like this at Little Caesars Arena — especially in recent weeks.

It doesn't matter that the Philadelphia Flyers are one horrendous hockey club. That they will miss the playoffs for the third consecutive year. That they have just one postseason series win in the past 10 years. That they haven't won a Stanley Cup in 17,455 days.

Both teams have since doubled down on their respective strategies, with the Hawks continuing to convert all valuable players into draft picks and the Lightning continuing to do the opposite. And Hagel has fully lived up to expectations in Tampa while Taylor Raddysh has flourished a bit in Chicago.