Lightning Favored Over Canadiens in NHL Playoffs First Round Game 1

Tampa Bay hosts Montreal in Sunday's opening matchup of the NHL postseason.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 12:49am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game in progress, with the players and ice surface fragmented into overlapping planes of vibrant blue, red, and white colors, capturing the dynamic energy of the playoff matchup.The opening-round playoff clash between the defending champion Lightning and the underdog Canadiens promises an intense, high-stakes battle on the ice.Today in Tampa

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens will face off in the first round of the 2026 NHL playoffs, with Game 1 set for Sunday evening at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning are favored at -194 on the moneyline, while the Canadiens enter as +160 underdogs.

Why it matters

This opening-round matchup between the Lightning and Canadiens features two of the Eastern Conference's top teams from the regular season, setting the stage for an intriguing playoff series. Tampa Bay is looking to defend its Stanley Cup title, while Montreal aims to pull off the upset and advance.

The details

The Lightning finished the regular season with a 50-26-6 record, good for second place in the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens were right behind them at 48-24-10, earning the first wild card spot in the East. In the regular-season series, Tampa Bay won three of the four meetings.

  • Game 1 is scheduled for Sunday, April 19, 2026 at 5:45 p.m. ET.

The players

Tampa Bay Lightning

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, led by a star-studded roster including Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Montreal Canadiens

A perennial playoff contender looking to make a deep run, featuring top scorers like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.

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What they’re saying

“We know the Canadiens will be a tough opponent, but our guys are ready for the challenge. Home-ice advantage should give us an edge in this series.”

— Jon Cooper, Head Coach, Tampa Bay Lightning

“Facing the champs is never easy, but we believe in our team and our ability to pull off the upset. It's going to be a hard-fought series, that's for sure.”

— Martin St. Louis, Head Coach, Montreal Canadiens

What’s next

The winner of this best-of-seven series will advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals to face the winner of the Hurricanes-Panthers first-round matchup.

The takeaway

This opening-round clash between the Lightning and Canadiens features two of the Eastern Conference's top teams and should provide an exciting start to the 2026 NHL playoffs. Tampa Bay enters as the favorite, but Montreal has the talent to pull off the upset and advance.