Marc Dumont
The Montreal Canadiens (1-1) will face the Tampa Bay Lightning (1-1) in Game 3 on Friday, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET.
With the series returning to Montreal, the Habs will have a fantastic opportunity to gain home-ice advantage, via a little help from their friends at the Bell Centre. Of course, you have to win four games to win the series, but any time an underdog manages to gain a 2-1 advantage in a first-round series, they improve their odds of emerging victorious significantly.
And while some may have gotten the impression the Lightning have been the much better team in the first two games of the series, the numbers suggest a very interesting split.
The Lightning have done a great job controlling the shots, but the Canadiens have dominated the high-danger scoring chances at 5v5, to the tune of 18-7.
If the Canadiens can continue to focus on hockey, while somehow ignoring the constant greasy hockey offered by Tampa Bay, they should be in great shape, all things considered.
They’ll also need their first line to wake up and start producing at 5v5, which would be facilitated by keeping Nick Suzuki and Company away from Brandon Hagel’s line.
As for the defencemen, the third pairing of Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj has provided excellent hockey in the playoffs, while the top four has struggled to find its rhythm. Reuniting Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson, while pairing Alexander Carrier with Kaiden Guhle, may be the best way forward for the Canadiens and the individuals, as they’ve shown they can produce encouraging statistics with the recommended partners in the past.
Speaking of Xhekaj, he’s excited to bring the fun back to Montreal, especially given the physical tone of the series.
“I’ll be honest,” he explained. “For physical guys like Anderson, Struble, and me, the energy from the playoff crowd in Montreal is a huge plus. I woke up with a smile this morning. The entire province is locked in. It’s going to be an incredible night!”
Arber Xhekaj:
— Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) April 24, 2026
«Je vais être honnête. Pour des gars physiques comme Anderson, Struble et moi, l’énergie de la foule en séries à Montréal est un immense PLUS. Je me suis réveillé avec le sourire ce matin. La province au grand complet est en feu. Ça va être une soirée incroyable.»
Potential Lineup Changes
Neither team will announce any major changes until puck drop, but there was some relatively interesting news at Canadiens practice.
Several players were missing, including Juraj Slafkovsky, Alex Newhook, and Josh Anderson.
Here we go! Playoff hockey at the Bell Centre.
— Kenzie Lalonde (@KenzieTSN) April 24, 2026
Not everyone is skating today – Newhook, Struble, Slafkovsky, Anderson, Dach are just a few names absent. #Habs pic.twitter.com/B3yChjTDd8
Most are expected to play on Friday night, but there is a chance we may end up seeing a new face in the lineup, with Joe Veleno serving as the most likely back-up plan in Montreal.
Patrik Laine is still listed as injured, and will not be available to the Habs, but there is a possibility we may see veteran Brendan Gallagher given a few shifts. His truculent style of play would fit well in this series, as long as he manages to keep his emotions in check as he deals with the constant provocations from the Lightning.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky
Alexandre Texier – Alex Newhook – Ivan Demidov
Zachary Bolduc- Oliver Kapanen – Kirby Dach
Jake Evans – Phillip Danault – Josh Anderson
Mike Matheson – Alexander Carrier
Kaiden Guhle – Lane Hutson
Jayden Struble – Arber Xhekaj
Jakub Dobes
Tampa Bay Lightning Projected Lineup
Brandon Hagel – Anthony Cirelli – Nikita Kucherov
Jake Guentzel – Brayden Point – Gage Goncalves
Zemgus Girgensons – Yanni Gourde – Nick Paul
Corey Perry – Oliver Bjorkstrand – Scott Sabourin
J.J. Moser – Darren Raddysh
Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak
Declan Carlile – Emil Lilleberg
Andrei Vasilevskiy
How To Watch The Habs Vs. The Bolts
The Montreal Canadiens versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, Friday, April 24, 2026, will be aired on CBC, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports. An instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Sportsnaut as soon as the final whistle blows.
Additional NHL Playoff Analysis
- Canadiens vs. Lightning – Playoff Primer – Head-to-Head at 5v5
- Canadiens Vs. Lightning – Special Teams
- Canadiens vs. Lightning – X Factors
