Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadiens Prediction, NHL Odds

Liam Gilks | Updated Jan 21, 2025

NHL: New York Rangers at Montreal Canadiens

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The red-hot Montreal Canadiens host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night with a chance to make up ground in the tight-knit Atlantic Division.

Tampa Bay
37-23-3-2
AT
January 21, 2025, 7:00 PM ET
Bell Centre
Montreal
31-27-5-2
Puckline -1.5 +170
Moneyline -140
Over / Under o +6
Matchup Odds
Puckline +1.5 -210
Moneyline +120
Over / Under u +6
Matchup Odds

Tampa will play the second half of a back-to-back after losing 5-3 Monday night in Toronto. Only three points separate these teams in the standings, making this matchup much more meaningful.

The NHL odds have the Lightning as a slight -150 favourite on the road, with the total set at 6.0 goals. The puck will drop from the Bell Centre at 7 p.m. ET.

Lightning vs. Canadiens NHL Betting Odds

After getting swept in their four-game season series last year, the Canadiens came out with a vengeance in their first head-to-head of the season. The Bolts hosted the Habs back on Dec. 29, and Montreal handed Tampa a 5-3 loss, outshooting them 37-23. With the Lightning playing a back-to-back, paired with a spotty 10-11-2 record on the road, they might have trouble with a Canadiens team that is 12-8-3 at home.

Despite being the highest scoring team in the league this season (3.64 goals per game), the Lightning still have a 19-20-5 record on the OVER/UNDER and have only hit the OVER in three of their past 10 games. After Monday’s loss in Toronto, they have covered just one over their past four games, making them 24-20 ATS on the year.

Montreal’s surge over the past month has flipped how bettors should play the Canadiens. They have covered the spread in eight of their past 10 games, moving them to 28-18 ATS this season, the second-most covers in the conference. Rookie Defenceman Lane Hutson is riding an eight-game point streak and is making a convincing case for the Calder Trophy. Get him at +105 on our NHL futures board before that line changes.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay failed to gain ground on the Atlantic Division-leading Maple Leafs on Monday night in Toronto, falling 5-3, causing a nine-point separation between them and the No. 1 seed. Toronto scored early in the first period and again in the second, before Nick Paul (12) cut their lead in half. The Bolts played catch-up all night with a goal from defenceman Darren Raddysh (3) and Paul again late in the third to make it 4-3. Their late push in the final minutes was not enough though, as they allowed the empty net goal for a 5-3 final.

Nikita Kucherov logged over 25 minutes on Monday, recording an assist to extend his point streak to nine games. The 31-year-old has accumulated 15 points (4G 11A) in this stretch, getting his point total up to 69 on the year.

Coach Jon Cooper opted to go with Jonas Johansson in goal on Monday so expect Andrei Vasilevskiy to draw back in on Tuesday.

Montreal Canadiens

Are people done claiming this Canadiens streak is a fluke? After blowing a three-goal lead and getting embarrassed by their oldest rivals on Saturday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs on home ice, Montreal had a quick turnaround facing another original six rival Sunday when the New York Rangers came to town.

The Habs played catch up most of the night after falling behind midway through the first period, but never trailed by more than one. Brendan Gallagher (11), Christian Dvorak (4) and captain Nick Suzuki (14) all scored in the first two periods and Juraj Slafkovsky (6) tied the game in the third to send it to overtime.

In the extra frame, Patrik Laine (12) sealed the deal for Montreal, giving them 12 wins in their past 16 games.

The legend of Jakub Dobes continues to grow, pushing his record to 5-0 in his NHL career. The 23-year-old rookie made 23 stops on Sunday, including some game-savers in OT.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Lightning vs. Canadiens?

NHL Predictions
SportsInteraction
  • TB
  • -140 +120
  • MON
Matchup NHL Odds