- Matchup: Montreal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning
- Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
- Venue: Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
- Broadcast: ESPN2
- Betting Odds: Canadiens (+145) Lightning (-175)
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The Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10) are set to visit Benchmark International Arena on Wednesday for Game 5 against the Tampa Bay Lightning (50-26-6) in their first-round playoff series. The series stands tied at 2-2. Current betting lines favor the Lightning at -175, while the Canadiens are at +145. The total is set at 5.5 goals.
After a close 3-2 loss in Game 4, the Montreal Canadiens are looking to bounce back. In that match, they committed 18 penalty minutes and had 6 power play opportunities, converting just once. The Canadiens struggled offensively, managing only 2 goals from 18 shots.
This season, the Canadiens have allowed 248 power plays (8th in the league), resulting in 54 goals against. Defensively, they’ve faced a total of 2,283 shots and boast a save percentage of .890. Offensively, Montreal has attempted 2,156 shots with a conversion rate of 12.9%. While playing at even strength, they’ve allowed 197 goals while scoring 223. The Canadiens have capitalized on 242 power plays, netting 56 goals, a conversion rate of 23.14%. Overall, they accumulated 106 points and a points percentage of .646, scoring 279 goals (7th in the NHL) while conceding 251.
In goal for tonight’s matchup, we have Jakub Dobes. Throughout his professional career, Dobes has faced 157 goals, maintaining a goals-against average of 2.75. With 59 games under his belt, his save percentage stands at .904 over the course of 953 minutes. Holding a record of 36-14-7, he has been a starter in 57 games and has achieved 35 quality starts, with a quality start percentage of .614. Dobes has faced 1,627 shots, making 1,470 saves.
The Tampa Bay Lightning excelled in Game 4, showcasing strong performance on both ends. They had 7 power play chances, scoring once out of those. The Lightning managed to convert 3 goals from 20 attempts.
This season, the Tampa Bay Lightning have scored 286 goals and earned 106 points, with a points percentage of .646. They have given up 229 goals, including 184 at even strength and 45 while shorthanded. The Lightning have netted 235 goals at even strength and 51 power play goals (15th in the league) from 246 opportunities, achieving a power play rate of 20.73%. With 2,305 shots taken (14th in the league), their shooting percentage is 12.41%, while allowing 2,188 shots from opponents. They have a penalty kill rate of 82.56% against 258 power plays, with a save percentage of 89.5%.
In net for Tampa Bay, expect to see Andrei Vasilevskiy. He has amassed 16,122 saves from 17,589 shots, resulting in a .917 save percentage. Vasilevskiy holds a career record of 370-178-39 over 598 games played, beginning 588 of those and logging 28,763 minutes. His quality start percentage is 59.2%, with 348 quality starts throughout his career, allowing an average of 2.49 goals per game with a total of 1,467 goals conceded.
Who do you think will prevail in tonight’s NHL showdown against the spread or moneyline?
Prediction: Back Montreal (+145)
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