Posted at 11:00 AM EST. Odds are subject to change.

Montreal +135 over Tampa Bay

NHL Playoff Series Game 2

7:00 PM EST. The underdog Montreal Canadiens proved in Game 1 that they’re not here to make up the numbers, stealing a 4-3 overtime win on the road and immediately flipping the pressure onto Tampa Bay Lightning. That result wasn’t a fluke. Montreal’s offensive depth showed up in a big way, led by Juraj Slafkovsky, whose hat trick—including the overtime winner—highlighted a group that ranked among the league’s better scoring teams all season. With contributors like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and emerging playmakers on the blue line, the Canadiens have multiple ways to generate offense, which makes them a dangerous plus-money side again in Game 2.

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, is showing signs of vulnerability despite its strong overall numbers. Yes, they defend well and get elite goaltending from Andrei Vasilevskiy, but they’ve now dropped five straight Game 2s in playoff series and continue to underdeliver relative to market expectations. Their Game 1 performance was inefficient—they managed just three goals on 23 shots and couldn’t fully capitalize on five power-play chances. That lack of finishing touch matters against a Montreal team that’s playing with confidence and structure, especially when the Lightning have also struggled to cover the puck line in recent outings.

In net, Montreal doesn’t need perfection—just stability—and Jakub Dobes has quietly provided that. His body of work shows consistency, and he was composed in his postseason debut. Combine that with Montreal’s strong track record as an underdog and their ability to carry momentum from overtime wins, and the value is clearly on their side again. Tampa Bay may still be the bigger name, but the Canadiens have already shown they can dictate pace and capitalize on opportunities. At plus money backing Montreal to win outright in Game 2 is a wager rooted in both current form and situational edge.

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