A heated rivalry (no, not the TV series) reunites in the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning! This will be the fifth time these two teams have met in the postseason, with Tampa Bay winning three of the previous four series.
Their most recent matchup was the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, where the Lightning prevailed in five games to capture their second consecutive Stanley Cup (and the third in franchise history).
I expect this to be the most entertaining and competitive series of the first round. Most reporters and analysts will likely view the Lightning as the favorites, but I have a different take.
My prediction: Led by the strong goaltending of Jakub Dobes and the elite goal-scoring of 51-goal man Cole Caufield, the Montreal Canadiens will defeat the Lightning for just the second time in their playoff history—in six games.
Time will tell.
Stay tuned to this blog for highlights from each game in the series!
Photo artwork and blog by Andrew Di Pardo
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