STANLEY CUP FINAL 2021 | LIGHTNING VS CANADIENS | ODDS | NHL PICKS | OSB
Back the Bolts
It is game three of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals, and the Tampa Bay Lightning are headed to the great province of Montreal to face off against the Canadiens. The Lightning has the 2-0 advantage so far this series and have outscored the Canadiens a whopping 8-2. Will, the Canadiens, have another Cinderella story this evening on their home ice, or will the Lightning yet again reign victorious?
Offensive Oppression
The Canadiens cannot seem to get anything going on the offensive end, and it is not for lack of opportunity. In the first game, the team only had 19 shots on goal with one going in the net, so it made sense that the Canadiens would try to get as many shots up as possible, but are they good shots? In game 2, the Canadiens had a whopping 43 shots on goal, a significantly higher total than the previous game, and the Canadiens yet again scored one goal.
The team has had three power-play opportunities in each game and has only converted a single attempt overall. If they want to be able to keep up with the Lightning’s elite attack, they absolutely have to convert these opportunities.
Goalies’ Game
Andrei Vasilevskiy has been an absolute wagon for the Lightning all year, but he has been especially dominant against this Canadiens team. The 26 year old has had 62 shots on goal combined the past two games and has only allowed a measly two pucks in. It goes to show that even if Hedman and the defensemen are struggling, Vasilevskiy himself can alter the trajectory of any game’s course. Carey Price, while having a tough game one, rebounded in a fairly decent way in their second matchup. On 23 shots, he allowed three to go in, and while he was a dominant force in these playoffs prior, he has regressed tremendously under the pressure of the Lightning’s attack.
Lightning’s Arsenal
Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, Ross Colton, and Patrick Maroon are some of the prominent names that lead the Lightning’s attack, and if that isn’t scary enough, their goalie is averaging one goal against per game. Take into account the depth that the Lightning have, and it’s quite hard to imagine anything but pure dominance yet again in this contest. The Canadiens have shown offensive promise in the postseason, but their regular seasons on the offensive side of the puck are yet again becoming apparent. This may very well be the end of what has been a crazy run by Montreal’s Canadiens.
The Verdict
BetOnline has the odds at (-133) for the Tampa Bay Lightning and (+120) for the underdog Montreal Canadiens. That line is an absolute steal for the Lightning, and bettors everywhere should hop on it before it grows. OSB Official Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning ML (-133) (at BetOnline) To get daily game analysis visit our blog, sign up for our free picks, and follow us on Instagram and Youtube. Current odds brought to you by BetOnline.
