Montreal vs Tampa Bay: Four games are enough for the Lightning to defend the title

Tampa Bay have won their previous three finals games and are now one step away from the Stanley Cup. Will they be able to make it in Game 4? We believe that Montreal won’t be able to stop the Lightning from winning the trophy.

Montreal remain one step away from completing their best season in decades. For years, the greatest-titled club in NHL history was deemed ineligible for the playoffs but made it to the Stanley Cup final. Yes, Dominique Ducharme’s men were too tough against Tampa Bay and failed to score in any of their opening three games, so they were only one defeat away from completing such a successful year.

Tampa Bay are the reigning winner of the Stanley Cup. Last season, the Lightning had to work hard in the finals to win the long-awaited trophy. Because of the short offseason, John Cooper’s team did not look well in the regular season and finished only third in the Central division, so they had to play away in the first round of the playoffs. The Lightning seemed in trouble, but Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov returned to the roster when it became clear that Tampa Bay were the front-runners to win the Stanley Cup. That proved to be the case, as they reached the final without major difficulties, where they beat Montreal 3-0 in the series and remained one step away from defending the title.

Tampa Bay are just one win away from defending the title they won last autumn. John Cooper’s side already lifted the Stanley Cup on 29 September last year and can do so again on 5 July. They need to beat Montreal in Game 4 of the final, but the Canadiens are unsure how to deal with such a formidable opponent. Now the Lightning are showing outstanding hockey and leave no chance for the opponent to succeed, so we advise a bet on the Tampa Bay victory for 2.14.

Tampa Bay are destroying Montreal’s defence as if it didn’t exist at all. In their starting three games in the Stanley Cup Final, John Cooper’s charges have struck the Canadiens 14 times (4.67 average per game). Carey Price has pulled Montreal into the season series, and he continues to make saves against the Lightning, but the reigning champion still regularly upset the magnificent goalie. Now John Cooper’s charges can afford to go wild, so the best option for the prediction seems to be Tampa Bay’s Individual Total Over 2.5 pucks for 2.07.

Tyler Johnson is an excellent forward who used to score a hundred points a season, but his production has gradually declined. The 30-year-old hockey player is probably having his last season for the Lightning. In his 20 starts in the current Stanley Cup series, he allowed just 4 points (2 goals + 2 assists), but the day before he notched a double-double in the third game of the series with Montreal. Such a productive game should give the American confidence in his abilities, so it is worth looking at the bet on Tyler Johnson’s Total Over 0.5 points for 2.10.