The start of the 1/8 series with Montreal turned out to be as difficult as possible for Tampa Bay. In the first match, there were serious problems in defense, and only due to the smart implementation of the attacking moments was it possible to put the game into overtime, losing with a score of 3:4. In the second leg, the club played a little more reliably and also pulled Victoria out in extra time. Next, the lightning went to play on the road, where in the opening game they were unable to break through the strong defense of the Canadiens, which led to another defeat (2:3 OT). The Lightning changed tactics and in the fourth match they relied on the defensive line, which immediately bore fruit, they managed to snatch a very important victory with a one-goal difference (3:2).
Montreal is in great shape, which allows the team to create huge problems for the favorite in Tampa Bay from match to match. Even on the road, the Canadiens demonstrated very high-quality hockey, especially worth noting the powerful offensive line, due to which they managed to snatch the first Victory in overtime (4:3). Returning to the home arena, the club once again took the lead in the series, also defeating the Lightning in extra time (3:2). Everything could have ended in complete defeat, but we were a little unlucky with the implementation of the moments in the attack. The exact same problem arose in the next meeting, but this time I had to concede with a minimum gap (2:3).
Tampa Bay is the clear favorite in the upcoming matchup, according to the bookmakers, which we disagree with. Yes, the Lightning returned to the home arena, but it didn't really help them at the start of the series. The Canadiens are playing on equal terms with the Lightning from match to match, so they must fight back again and not lose in regular time, which is what we suggest betting on.
Our betting tip is that Montreal will not lose in 1.82
The Totalbetis less than 5.5 pucks
In four face-to-face matches out of five, the teams failed to score more than five goals.
Tampa Bay hosted Montreal in the NHL playoffs at the Benchmark International Arena. The hosts, led by John Cooper, competed with the guests, who are coached by Dominique Ducharme. The final score of this meeting has not yet been fixed.
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