The stage is finally set for the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals, with the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning facing off for Game 1 of the series Monday night. Who will take the early lead? The Canadiens are the upset-seeking unit, while the Lightning are the favorites, as the defending Cup champions. Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Montreal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning 2021 Stanley Cup Finals Game 1 on June 28, 2021
Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa
When: Monday, June 28, 2021, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Montreal Canadiens (+1.5) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (-1.5) – view all 2020-21 NHL lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Montreal Canadiens (+1.5)
Regular Season Record: 24-21-1
The Canadiens are looking to win their first Stanley Cup since 1993 when Patrick Roy was reigning in front of the net for them. This time around, Montreal is enjoying success with another Hall-of-Fame-bound goalie in Carey Price. The former Vezina Trophy winner has been sensational, to say the least in these playoffs. Thus far in the postseason, Price has accumulated a record of 12-5-0 with a 2.02 GAA and .934 SV% across 17 starts. He’s also getting lots of help from the team’s top line that has been great in shutting down the top skaters of the opposite team. Montreal rode their excellence in the conference semifinals where they eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights, coming back from a 1-0 series deficit and winning it all in six games. Tyler Toffolo and Nick Suzuki lead the Canadiens with five goals apiece in the playoffs.
The Canadiens are 4-0 in their last four games when their opponent allowed two goals or less in their previous outing.
Betting on the Tampa Bay Lightning (-1.5)
Regular Season Record: 36-17-3
The Lightning march into the 2021 Stanley Cup Finals with a deep roster and arguably a better goalie. Andrei Vasilevskiy will enter the series against Montreal with a 12-6-0 record to go with a 1.99 GAA and .936 SV%. In his last start, he shut down the New York Islanders in Game 7 in the second round, turning away all 18 shots by the Isles in a 1-0 victory that clinched Tampa Bay a spot in the Finals. It’s also such a luxury for Vasilevskiy to have a robust offense behind him. The Lightning are averaging 3.22 goals per game in the playoffs, while also allowing just 2.06. The top line of Ondrej Palat, Brayden Point, and Nikita Kucherov has been dealing damage left and right in the postseason, but Tampa Bay is hardly a team that only thrives with their top line. The second like has Steven Stamkos while the fourth has the pair of Tyler Johnson and Patrick Maroon.
The Lightning are 4-1 in their last 5 Stanley Cup Finals games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Lightning win, 3-1.
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