
(AsiaGameHub) – The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning face off this evening for Game 2 of their first-round NHL playoff series. The game begins at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN2.
Montreal secured a surprise victory in Game 1 on Sunday, led by Juraj Slafkovsky’s overtime goal which completed his hat trick in the 4-3 win.
For tonight’s matchup, DraftKings lists Tampa Bay as a -192 home favorite, with the over/under set at 5.5. Currently, the Lightning have attracted 76% of the total bets and 83% of the betting tickets.
Leading Player Props: Canadiens vs. Lightning
With Tampa Bay anticipated to recover, we have identified three player props for the Lightning and one for the Canadiens.
Andrei Vasilevskiy OVER 21.5 Saves (-110)
Andrei Vasilevskiy entered the postseason as the premier goaltender. His regular-season goals against average of 2.33 was second only to Colorado’s Scott Wedgewood (2.07).
However, Wedgewood only made his first NHL playoff start during Sunday’s victory over the Kings. Consequently, we anticipate the veteran Vasilevskiy will bounce back tonight after recording just 15 saves in the series opener.
Nikita Kucherov OVER 1.5 Points (+105)
Nikita Kucherov finished the regular season with 130 points, trailing only Edmonton’s Connor McDavid for the league lead.
Kucherov maintained his high level of play in Game 1, recording two assists and firing five shots on goal.
Given that Tampa Bay is expected to dominate Montreal’s youthful defensive unit, Kucherov should be able to secure at least two points.
Jake Guentzel OVER 2.5 Shots (-150)
While the odds are a bit steep, Jake Guentzel plays a key role alongside Kucherov in maintaining offensive pressure for the Bolts.
Guentzel had four shots on goal in the first game. He has surpassed this shot total in four of his previous six outings, including a four-shot performance against Montreal late in the regular season.
Juraj Slafkovsky Anytime Goal Scorer (+195)
It is surprising that Slafkovsky’s odds remain this high considering his scoring record against Tampa Bay.
Beyond Sunday’s hat trick, the talented winger also netted four goals across four regular-season meetings with the Lightning.
He also led all players with seven shots on goal against Vasilevskiy in Game 1. With his knack for generating dangerous opportunities, he is a strong candidate to find the net tonight.
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