Stadium: Amalie Arena.
Game 5. The score in the series is 3-1.
Tampa Bay wanted to close out the final series at home, and here’s the opportunity. Montreal snatched the victory in overtime of Game 4 and extended the confrontation to Game 5. Will the Lightning clinch their second consecutive league title on home ice?
Tampa Bay need to close out the series at home
It would be strange if the Lightning, having won the Stanley Cup for the second time in a row, would get it again away. Last season, the pre-game championship was in Canada, and the Lightning celebrated their triumph there. That’s probably why Tampa Bay didn’t work hard now in Game 4. After being awarded 3 minutes of power play at the start of overtime, John Cooper’s team produced nothing dangerous and conceded just as the teams were tied. Florida, meet the champions!
There’s no doubt that the Lightning will wrap up the showdown as early as the upcoming night. The main suspense will be whether Andrei Vasilevskiy can pull off another shutout. Previously, the Russian goalkeeper has played all the final games of the series on nil. And, including last season’s series finale against Dallas, there will be five such encounters.
Montreal have achieved the main thing
The Canadiens did not lose the series with Tampa Bay. A critical moment for the legendary Canadian team. No one in the league can compete with the current Lightning. Therefore, one win, also at home, is already a significant achievement for Montreal.
In Game 4, we should note Russian defenceman Alexander Romanov’s play-off debut. With his shot, Romanov put his team ahead midway through the third period. Tampa Bay, however, quickly recouped, and Josh Anderson scored the winning goal in overtime. Nevertheless, Romanov certainly made a big bid for a successful NHL career.
Expert Betting Tips
There is almost no doubt that Tampa Bay will win the upcoming matchup. The quality of the teams here is unequal, so the Lightning, playing with maximum concentration, will win confidently.
We bet on Tampa Bay to win, and besides, why not take a chance? A fifth consecutive series ending in a shutout is a realistic prospect for Andrei Vasilevskiy. Let’s support the Russian and the best goalie in the world right now.
Betting options:
- Tampa Bay to win with a handicap (-1.0) for 1.98;
- Montreal to score - no for 6.00;
- Tampa Bay to win and Total Under 5.5 for 2.11.
Other predictions
