The Stanley Cup Final is upon us, with Game One ready for puck drop Monday evening. The Montreal Canadiens are in Tampa Bay to take on the Lightning at Amalie Arena.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this will be the first time these two teams will take the ice against each other this season. The Canadiens come into this game after a 4-2 series win against the Vegas Golden Knights. The Lightning went the distance but won their series 4-3 against the New York Islanders.
Canadiens vs Lightning Game One Predictions
The goaltenders in this one will be the biggest storyline of the series. Carey Price, a 14-year veteran, has won almost every goaltender award possible. Though Price is a lock for the Hall of Fame, he would love to add a Stanley Cup to his already-stellar résumé.
At the other end of the ice, Andrei Vasilevskiy is looking to make the Lightning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions and earn the second Cup in his six-year career. Vasilevskiy was named a Vezina Trophy finalist for the fourth consecutive season; he won in 2019.
Both teams are 2-1 in series-opening games this postseason. The teams will also start this game at relatively full strength, except for Joel Armia from Montreal, who is in COVID-19 protocol.
Game One Odds
The Lightning are the moneyline favorite at -196. The over/under is set at 5½.
Canadiens Need a Road Win
Montreal will start this series on the road. While most teams would not be happy about that, the Canadiens have been rather impressive on the road. In the playoffs so far, Montreal is 7-2 away from the Bell Centre.
Offensively, if the Canadiens are going to score goals, they will need Tyler Toffoli and Nick Suzuki to continue lighting the lamp. Toffoli leads the team with 14 points – he has scored five goals and assisted on nine others. Suzuki is right behind him with 13 points, scoring five goals and adding eight assists.
Lightning Looking to Defend Title
Game One is a must-win for the Lightning, not because they can’t come back from being down 1-0 in the series, but because they cannot allow Montreal any breathing room in the series. The Lightning are by far the better team and will more than likely be the moneyline favorite in every game this series, no matter the record. If Tampa Bay can win Game One, the confidence will be all they need to go right through Montreal.
Nikita Kucherov is having one of the best postseasons in NHL history. With 27 points, Kucherov is currently in the top 50 for overall points ever in a postseason. Brayden Point is also having a great playoff run, scoring 14 goals; his nine-game goal streak came to an end in Game Seven against the Islanders. Point’s 14 goals currently put him in the Top 30 for most goals in a postseason. With these two on the ice, the Lightning are one of the best offensive hockey teams of all time.
On to the Pick
Free Play: Lightning Moneyline -196
Over/Under: Over 5½ goals
