The Tampa Bay Lightning are one win away from capturing their second straight Stanley Cup title. They lead the best-of-seven Cup final series against the Montreal Canadiens by a 3-0 count. In the Cup final for the first time in 28 years, Montreal has lost nine of 33 previous Stanley Cup final series. However, the Canadiens have only ever been swept in a final series one time in their history.
Tampa Bay Lightning Heavy Favourites to win the Stanley Cup 2021
- The Tampa Bay Lightning are 1.02 favorites to win the 2021 Stanley Cup
- Tampa Bay leads the best-of-seven Cup final series against the Montreal Canadiens 3-0
- The Lightning are given 1.61 odds to sweep the Canadiens
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The Stanley Cup final series is offering living proof that Lightning can indeed strike twice. Up 3-0 on the Montreal Canadiens, the Tampa Bay Lightning are a win away from capturing their second successive Stanley Cup title.
Tampa Bay required six games in last season’s final to overcome the Dallas Stars. The Lightning also won three in a row in that set, taking Games 2-3-4 after dropping the series opener to Dallas.
Game 4 of the series is slated for Monday at Montreal’s Bell Centre. Only once in their history have the Canadiens lost the deciding game of the Stanley Cup final on home ice. The Habs were defeated in Game 6 of the 1989 final by the Calgary Flames at the Montreal Forum.
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Among the top contenders in the Stanley Cup futures picks at the start of the playoffs, Tampa Bay is given 1.02 favourite’s odds to win the Cup. Montreal is as much as a 41.00 underdog at some online sportsbooks.
In hockey history, just one team has defied the Stanley Cup Vegas odds and rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win the Cup final series. That was the 1941-42 Toronto Maple Leafs.
History Could Be Made
The Canadiens have only been swept once in the playoffs final series and it happened almost 70 years ago. In 1952, the Detroit Red Wings downed Montreal in four straight games to capture the Cup.
If you think that it’s time for Tampa Bay to be getting the brooms out, that’s a prop wager available to be played. Bet99 is offering 1.62 odds on a Tampa Bay sweep. PowerPlay Sports has set a betting line of 1.61 on the series ending in four games.
These Players Have Strong Conn Games
When the Stanley Cup final series does come to an end, one of the first orders of business will be the awarding of the Conn Smythe Trophy to the MVP of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Currently, Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is the even-money favorite to earn the honour. Vasilevsky has allowed one or fewer goals in 10 of 21 playoff games. He’s posted shutouts in the clinching game of all three playoff rounds. That’s a Stanley Cup first.
Vasilevskiy is a win away from joining Mike Vernon, Terry Sawchuk, Turk Broda and Hap Holmes as the only netminders to defeat the Canadiens in a Stanley Cup final.
A strong case can also be made for Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov at odds of 2.50. After missing the entire regular season following hip surgery, Kucherov leads all playoff scorers with 32 points. The closest parallel to this achievement came in 1991, Pittsburgh Penguins star Mario Lemieux led all playoff scorers after missing all but 26 regular-season games due to a back injury. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Pittsburgh captured the Cup.
Left with an outside chance is Lightning centre Brayden Point (3.50). He’s the leading playoff goal scorer with 14. That includes a 10-game goal streak, the second-longest in Cup history.
Looking Ahead: 2021-22 Stanley Cup
It’s never too early to plan for the future and thanks to ComeOn Sports, NHL bettors are already able to do just that. The sportsbook is out with its opening future book odds on the 2021-22 Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Colorado Avalanche at 6.00 are the opening-line chalk to win next season’s Stanley Cup. The Avs were also favoured this season, but suffered a second-round elimination at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Lightning (7.00), Vegas (9.00) and Boston Bruins (13.00) are other top contenders. However, they aren’t counting on more magic next season from the Canadiens. Montreal is the 13th betting choice to win next season’s Cup at 26.00.
Where To Bet On Stanley Cup Final
There are a number of leading online sports betting sites that will provide bettors with the chance to place a wager on the latest Stanley Cup final odds. The best bet you can make is to shop around in advance and seek out the right deal before joining one of these sportsbooks. Check out Bet99 and Sports Interaction as examples.
The signup bonus offers that are in place at all of these recommended sites will prove advantageous to the bettor. And since you’ll get a good deal wherever you go, why not check out several sites and find the ideal fit for your needs?
Do you want a risk-free first bet as a signup bonus? Perhaps you find a no-deposit bonus to be enticing. Or maybe you simply like the feel of cold, hard cash in your account and you want to go for a matching first deposit bonus. Whatever option you choose, you’re already a winner.
Remember that new players and returning customers are eligible for better bonuses when they deposit using Bitcoin. As well, take advantage of the betting advice offered at these sites to help newcomers acclimatize to sports betting.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the right one for you:
