NHL

Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning

· East 1st Round - Game 7

Canadiens visit the Lightning in game 7 of the first round

Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (50-26-6, in the Atlantic Division)

Tampa, Florida; Sunday, 6 p.m. EDT

LINE: Lightning -159, Canadiens +134; over/under is 5.5

NHL PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND: Series tied 3-3

BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens visit the Tampa Bay Lightning in game seven of the first round of the NHL Playoffs. The teams meet Friday for the 11th time this season. The Lightning won 1-0 in overtime in the previous matchup.

Tampa Bay has a 19-10-3 record in Atlantic Division games and a 50-26-6 record overall. The Lightning have a +57 scoring differential, with 286 total goals scored and 229 allowed.

Montreal is 48-24-10 overall and 19-10-3 against the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens are seventh in league play with 279 total goals (averaging 3.4 per game).

TOP PERFORMERS: Nikita Kucherov has scored 44 goals with 86 assists for the Lightning. Jake Guentzel has three goals and seven assists over the past 10 games.

Cole Caufield has 51 goals and 37 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has one goal and nine assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lightning: 5-3-2, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.9 assists, 6.7 penalties and 17.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.

Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.5 assists, 6.7 penalties and 16.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.

INJURIES: Lightning: Victor Hedman: out (personal), Pontus Holmberg: out (upper-body).

Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen), Noah Dobson: out (thumb).

Regular Season Series

Series tied 2-2

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/mtl.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originMTL https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originTB
3.06 Goals Against Average 2.79
27.8 Shots Against per Game 26.7
78.2 Penalty Kill Percentage 82.6
54 Power Play Goals Against 45
0 Short Handed Goals Against 0
3.40 Goals For per Game 3.49
26.3 Shots per Game 28.1
56 Power Play Goals 51
23.1 Power Play Percentage 20.7
8 Short Handed Goals 6
849 Penalty Minutes 1207
Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Lightning Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Victor Hedman, D Injured Reserve Apr 22
Pontus Holmberg, RW Out Apr 22
Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE

Game Information

Benchmark International Arena

Location: Tampa, FL
Capacity:

2025-26 Atlantic Division Standings

TEAM W L PTS OTL
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/buf.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Buffalo 50 23 109 9
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Tampa Bay 50 26 106 6
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/mtl.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Montreal 48 24 106 10
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/bos.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Boston 45 27 100 10
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/ott.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Ottawa 44 27 99 11
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/det.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Detroit 41 31 92 10
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/fla.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Florida 40 38 84 4
<img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tor.png" style="padding: 0 4px; width: 25px; vertical-align: inherit;">Toronto 32 36 78 14
Full Standings
Canadiens Last 5
Date OPP Result
@ <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px; vertical-align: inherit;"> TB L 3-2 OT
vs <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px; vertical-align: inherit;"> TB W 3-2 OT
vs <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px; vertical-align: inherit;"> TB L 3-2
@ <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px; vertical-align: inherit;"> TB W 3-2
vs <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/tb.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px; vertical-align: inherit;"> TB L 1-0 OT
Lightning Last 5
Date OPP Result
vs <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/mtl.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px;"> MTL W 3-2 OT
@ <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/mtl.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px;"> MTL L 3-2 OT
@ <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/mtl.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px;"> MTL W 3-2
vs <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/mtl.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px;"> MTL L 3-2
@ <img src="https://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nhl/500/mtl.png" style="padding-left: 4px; width: 20px;"> MTL W 1-0 OT