Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadiens Game 4 Prediction, NHL Playoff Odds
The Montreal Canadiens aim to take a commanding 3-1 series lead in their NHL playoff first-round matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning when these Eastern Conference rivals hit the ice for Game 4 on Sunday night at Bell Centre.
For the third time in as many games in this series, nothing was settled after 60 minutes, setting the stage for Lane Hutson to give the Canadiens a 2-1 series lead with the game-winner in overtime in a 3-2 victory.
The Lightning now enter Sunday’s action with just one win in their past six away dates while the Canadiens vie for their eighth win in 10 home dates.
Despite sporting a series lead and enjoying recent dominance at home, the Canadiens once again find themselves trailing on the NHL odds, pegged as slim -105 underdogs in Sunday’s contest. The Lightning have emerged as slender -115 favourites and the total is listed at 6.0.
However, the Canadiens have finally been rewarded on the NHL series prices, where they now lead the way as -150 chalk and a +400 wager to end the series in five games, while Tampa Bay lags as +225 long shot to rebound and earn their first playoff series win since 2022.
Lightning vs. Canadiens NHL Betting Odds
For the fifth time in six meetings between these clubs, matters were settled by just a single goal in Game 3 on Friday night, while the UNDER paid out for the fourth time in their past five matchups. Overall, the Canadiens have limited the Bolts to two or fewer goals in two dates at Bell Centre this month, and have surrendered just 2.71 goals per game in their past seven overall.
The Habs’ resilience in the face of a battle-hardened Lightning squad that has regularly attempted to play the intimidation card has contributed to their rising fortunes on the NHL futures, where they now sit among the favourites as an improved +650 bet to win the East and +1200 wager on the Stanley Cup odds.
Despite Friday’s loss, the Lightning have managed to maintain +500 odds on the Eastern Conference futures and remain a strong but diminished +1000 wager on the odds to win the Stanley Cup.
Tampa Bay Lightning
After outshooting the Habs in the first two games of the series, the Lightning struggled to keep pace with the revitalized Canadiens while getting outshot by a wide 29-17 margin on Friday. Indeed, the Bolts seemed to fade as the contest progressed, and were outshot by a massive 22-5 margin the rest of the way after tying the game at 2-2 less than five minutes into the second period.
The trio of Brandon Hagel, Jake Guentzel, and Nikita Kucherov have remained productive. In addition to embracing the role of pest, Hagel potted his fourth goal of the series in Game 3, and now shares the team lead in points with Guentzel, whose single assist leaves him with a goal and four helpers in the series. Kucherov also picked up an assist, giving him four points in the series and nine points in seven dates with Montreal this season.
Montreal Canadiens
While the Lightning’s biggest stars have dome their best to keep Tampa in this series, it was the role players’ turn to contribute for Montreal in Game 3. A regular candidate to wear the goat’s horns in Montreal, Kirby Dach, stepped up with a character performance on Friday, scoring once and adding an assist. Alexandre Texier opened the scoring with his first goal of the playoffs and then set up Hutson’s overtime winner while linemate Zach Bolduc cracked the scoresheet with assists on both those markers.
However, Cole Caufield saw his goalscoring drought continue on a pointless night, and has now failed to bulge the twine in five straight outings while generating just four total shots on goal in the series. Nick Suzuki also saw a three-game home points streak snapped. Ivan Demidiov remained snake bitten, as his goal drought stretched to four games despite recording three shots on goal.
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