MONTREAL -- Things are starting to come around for Tomas Plekanec.

After a rough stretch which saw him score twice in 34 games -- while collecting 16 assists in that span -- the Montreal Canadiens center recorded his second multi-point effort in three games to help Montreal to a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.

Plekanec scored twice and added an assist, and now has eight points in the last four games. Flanked by Alex Galchenyuk on his left wing and Brendan Gallagher on his right, the line has been a big contributor to the team's recent success with 15 points in the last four games.

"If you look at the goals tonight, slide it through the pads and it goes in; the other nights it didn't," said Plekanec, who along with Gallagher recorded his eighth multi-point game of the season. "Then you start playing with confidence. Playing with Gally and Chucky, they're doing such a great job. Gally's really strong on the board, Chucky's making plays and I'm trying to back them up. It's worked well so far the last few nights and hopefully we can keep it going."

Gallagher and right winger Devante Smith-Pelly also scored for Montreal, which has now won three in a row for the first time since Nov. 22-27.

Center Valtteri Filppula and defenseman Victor Hedman scored for the Lightning, who have given up nine goals in their last two games after allowing just four in the three previous games.

"We were leaky tonight," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "That's what happens -- when you're a little bit leaky and you're not getting the bounces you have in the past, then we definitely have to tighten that up.

"It's been a little bit alarming here because five of our last 10 games, we've given up four goals. We've been fortunate enough to win two of those but we're going nowhere if we don't tighten up in the defensive zone."

Goaltender Ben Scrivens, making his third straight start, stopped 37 shots for the Canadiens (27-24-4), while Ben Bishop made 23 saves for Tampa Bay (29-19-4).

Gallagher's 14th of the season got the scoring started at 5:56 of the first period. After intercepting a Lightning pass in the Canadiens' end, Gallagher dished off to Plekanec at the Montreal blue line before the center quickly returned it at center ice on a three-on-one. Gallagher held on along the right side before firing far side on Bishop to give the Canadiens the lead.

"When we were losing, we were saying we weren't doing enough good things to win and you have to say you're doing enough now but there's no time to really feel too good about ourselves," said Gallagher of his team, which remains three points out of a wild-card spot and four back of third in the Atlantic Division. "We're still in a tough position here. It's important for us to continue to put together points."

The ice was barely dry when Filppula tied the game at 1-1. Victor Hedman stopped fellow defenseman P.K. Subban's clearing attempt before sending a cross-ice feed to Filppula, who skated to the top of the right circle and wristed one through traffic 40 seconds into the middle frame.

Plekanec put Montreal ahead with his first of the night six minutes later. Defenseman Mark Barberio kept the puck in at the blue line and tossed a soft shot toward the net that hit Gallagher's stick. Bishop made the save, but Plekanec was in front to tuck in the rebound.

Smith-Pelly made it 3-1 with eight seconds left in the period. Subban took a Smith-Pelly feed at the blue line before skating down low, evading Alex Killorn at the goal line and moving toward the inner hash marks and sending a backhander in off Smith-Pelly's skate in front of Bishop.

Plekanec's patience paid off to extend the Canadiens' lead at 6:17 of the third period. Galchenyuk spotted his center streaking into the Lightning zone before sending a perfect pass his way. Plekanec held on and pulled Bishop out of position to net his third goal in as many games.

Hedman pulled Tampa Bay to within a pair at 9:03 when he took advantage of Scrivens' inability to get back to his left after a save on a Ryan Callahan shot that forced the goaltender out of position.

"This year we haven't been the road team we've needed to be," Callahan said. "I think that's one of the main reasons we are where we are in the standings. We've been good at home but we have to be better on the road."

Left winger Brian Flynn and defenseman Nathan Beaulieu left the game with five minutes left in the second period after both suffered lower-body injuries on the same shift and did not return.

NOTES: The Lightning made one change to their line-up from Monday's loss, inserting C Jonathan Marchessault and scratching RW Erik Condra. ... Tampa Bay D Jason Garrison missed the game after sustaining a lower-body injury against Ottawa on Monday, paving the way for D Matt Carle to return after sitting the last four games as a healthy scratch. ... Montreal D Jeff Petry did not play, sidelined by a lower-body injury. ... Scratched the last two games, Canadiens D Nathan Beaulieu replaced Petry in the line-up, leaving D Greg Pateryn as the club's only healthy scratch. ... Members of Team Canada's 1972 Summit Series were recognized before the anthems.