On Thursday, the Montreal Canadiens head to Tampa Bay hoping to cool off the scorching Lightning. Unless Tampa implodes, the Lightning has secured a spot in the postseason. That’s not true for Montreal. The Canadiens can’t afford a single loss. Will Montreal step it up on the road against Tampa? Or, will the Lightning get past the Canadiens? Check out NHL odds, a preview, and a free pick for Canadiens vs Lightning!
Canadiens vs Lightning NHL Odds, Preview, and Pick
- When: Thursday, March 4 at 7:00 pm ET
- Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL
- TV: TBD
- Moneyline Odds: Canadiens +167 / Lightning -192 / Over/Under Odds: 6 ½
It’s GameDay!! Canadiens🏒 Tonight@CanadiensMTL vs @TBLightning MTL (31-28-9) 71 PTS TBL (41-20-5) 87 PTS 📍Amalie Arena ⏰7pm ET 📺 SUN, TSN2, RDS 🎙@TSN690, 98,5FM#MTLvsTBL #Canadiens #Lightning #GoHabsGo #CanadiensRegularSeason #HabsonTSN
— brandon_habs (@EdmontonHabs) March 5, 2020
Why Montreal Canadiens are a good bet to win +167
Montreal is in decent form. The Canadiens have gone 4-2 SU in their last 6. What’s interesting about the record is how Montreal’s 2 losses happened at home. The Canadiens won 3-of-4 matches on the road. The road wins include beating the New York Islanders 6-2 in their last. There’s a chance the Canadiens sneak up on the Lightning in this. If Tampa doesn’t take Montreal seriously, the Canadiens can pull off the upset win.
Team Statistics
Offense:- Goals For: 3.0
- Shots For: 34.1
- Power Plays: 18.5%
- Face-Offs: 50.7%
- Goals Against: 3.1
- Shots Against: 31.1
- Penalty Kills: 78.6%
- Shutouts: 0
Why Tampa Bay Lightning are a good bet to win -192
If the playoffs ended today, Tampa would secure the 2-seed in the Eastern Conference. The Tampa Bay Lightning are 41-20 and have dominated since Dec. 25. In the last head-to-head, Tampa beat the Canadiens 2-1. Also, the Lightning head into this off a 1-2 loss to Boston on March 3. The loss to the Bruins should provide Tampa motivation against the Canadiens.
Team Statistics
Offense:- Goals For: 3.5
- Shots For: 31.2
- Power Plays: 23.1%
- Face-Offs: 50.6%
- Goals Against: 2.8
- Shots Against: 30.8
- Penalty Kills: 81.9%
- Shutouts: 0
NHL Betting Trends for Montreal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning
- Canadiens are 4-1 in their last 5 on a Thursday
- Montreal is 7-3 in their last 10 on the road
- Canadiens are 1-8 in the last 9 meetings
- Over is 4-0 in the Canadiens last 4
- Tampa is 52-22 in their last 74 at home
- Lightning are 8-1 in the last 9 meetings
- Tampa is 43-9 in their last 52 versus the Atlantic
- Over is 7-1 in Lightning last 8
Canadiens vs Lightning NHL Final Betting Analysis
On paper, it looks as if the Tampa Bay Lightning should dominate the Montreal Canadiens. But in recent weeks, these two teams have gone in opposite directions. The Lightning has struggled while Montreal has picked it up.
There’s no shame in losing to Boston and the Lightning did beat Calgary on Feb. 29. Tampa struggled before the win against the Flames, though. Tampa had lost 4 in a row: 3-5 to Vegas, 3-7 to Arizona, 3-4 to Toronto and 2-5 to Chicago.
Tampa’s in the midst of a rough patch. That could work against them on Thursday night. The Montreal Canadiens are on a 2-match winning streak. Before dominating the Islanders, Montreal beat Carolina 4-3 in OT. They’re playing better than the Lightning. Give the Canadiens a shot to pull off the upset win.
NHL Free Pick: Canadiens +167
