April 20, 2026, 11:10 p.m. ET

The Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning meet Tuesday in Game 2 of their best-of-7 Eastern Conference first-round series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Puck drop at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN 2). Let’s analyze NHL odds around the Canadiens vs. Lightning odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.

Series: Canadiens lead 1-0

Montreal pulled off a Game 1 upset on the road, beating the Lightning 4-3 in overtime as +150 underdogs with the Over (6) cashing. It was a back-and-forth battle, but LW Juraj Slafkovsky delivered the winner just 1:22 into OT, completing his first career playoff hat trick. RW Josh Anderson also scored, while G Jakub Dobes made 20 saves in his postseason debut.

The home loss have cost the Lightning control of the series early. LW Brandon Hagel scored twice and D Darren Raddysh added a goal, but G Andrei Vasilevskiy struggled on the power play, allowing 3 goals on 5 opportunities. Tampa Bay has now lost 9 of its last 10 home playoff games and is 1-11 in its last 12 overtime games, putting pressure on them to respond quickly in this series.

Watch the NHL on Fubo!Canadiens at Lightning odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 11:02 p.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): Canadiens +154 (bet $100 to win $154) | Lightning -190 (bet $190 to win $100)Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Canadiens +1.5 (-160) | Lightning -1.5 (+135)Over/Under (O/U): 6 (O: -105 | U: -115)Canadiens at Lightning projected goalies

Jakub Dobes (29-10-4, 2.78 GAA, .901 SV%) vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy (38-15-4, 2.35 GAA, .909 SV%, 1 SO)

Dobes did enough to secure the Game 1 win over the Lightning, stopping 20 of 23 shots. The victory moves his playoff record to 2-2 with a 2.92 GAA and .878 SV%. He’s also been solid against Tampa Bay, posting a 2-1 record with a 2.15 GAA and .928 SV% in regular-season matchups.

Vasilevskiy didn’t have his best showing in Game 1 against the Canadiens, stopping just 15 of 19 shots. Despite that, he still owns an impressive 67-51 playoff record with a 2.45 GAA and .917 SV%. However, he’s struggled in this matchup, dropping all 3 starts against Montreal this season.

Canadiens at Lightning picks and predictionsPrediction

Lightning 4, Canadiens 2

PASS.

I like Tampa (-190) in a big way Tuesday night being that it’s a must win. But I have no interest in betting them at nearly 2 to 1, I’ll take my wager to the puck line.

BET LIGHTNING -1.5 (+135).

Tampa Bay knows Game 2 is a must-response spot after dropping the opener, and I expect a much sharper effort from them against the Canadiens. The Lightning seemed out of sync in Game 1, but this is still one of the more complete teams in the league, built to control play on both ends.

Vasilevskiy had an off night, but his track record suggests a bounce-back is coming. If he returns to form, Montreal will have a tougher time capitalizing on limited chances.

On the other side, Tampa’s offense should find more success against a Canadiens defense that can be exposed, especially with sustained pressure. With urgency high and talent advantage on their side, this sets up as a strong rebound spot.

Laying the puck line makes sense here, as Tampa has the firepower to not just win, but win comfortably and even the series.

I will AVOID a bet on the total. You had an Over in Game 1, but I see the Lightning tightening things up in Game 2. The trends do not give me a clear picture either. I’ll just keep my focus on the puck line.

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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