Down 2-0 in the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals, the Montreal Canadiens will look to finally get a win on Friday, when they take their turn of playing at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens NHL Stanley Cup Finals Game 3 on July 2, 2021
Where: Bell Centre, Montreal
When: Friday, July 2, 2021, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Tampa Bay Lightning (odds) vs. Montreal Canadiens (odds) – view all 2020-21 NHL lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Tampa Bay Lightning (odds)
Regular Season Record: 36-17-3
The Lightning struck again. They broke through Montreal’s defense in Game 2 despite taking fewer shots in Game 2, as they took advantage of the Canadiens’ errors and capitalized on some luck to pull off a 3-1 win at home. With a sizeable 2-0 lead, the Bolts have the maximum level of confidence going for them heading into their first road game of the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals. The Lightning’s depth was on full display anew in Game 2, with Blake Coleman and Anthony Cirelli each scoring a goal, while Ondrej Palat got the first line on the board with an insurance score in the third period. On defense, Tampa Bay continues to get incredible performance from goalie Andrei Vasilevksiy, who stopped 42 of 43 shots in Game 2 on his way to gaining first star honors. The Lightning are in the best shape they could be at this point, and there’s little doubt they won’t show up with the same energy in Game 3, even in enemy territory.
The Lightning are 4-1 in their last five games.
Betting on the Montreal Canadiens (odds)
Regular Season Record: 24-21-1
The Habs’ offense got shut down again in Game 2. If anything, the lone goal they scored in that game came from Nick Suzuki (power play), the first in the series for Montreal from a forward. Despite another single-goal output, the Canadiens can’t be faulted for being lazy on the attack. They had 20 more shots than Tampa (43-23), but kept getting rebuffed by Vasilevskiy. Nevertheless, they will just have to keep on pouring it on and hope that some would get by the Bolts’ goaltender. As for their own defense, the Canadiens aren’t getting the same superb performance from Carey Price as they had in the previous rounds. Price has now surrendered eight goals in two games. Maybe playing in front of home fans in Game 3 would wake up Montreal’s offense and inspire Price to put up a better showing in front of the net.
The Canadiens are 5-1 in their last six home games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Lightning win, 2-1.
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