Stanley Cup Final Preview: Tampa Bay Lightning versus Montreal Canadiens

Following the most irregular of regular seasons, the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs have offered hockey fans a window of normality over recent months. In fact, many key traditions have been restored this postseason.

Fans have started to return to NHL arenas, with spectators in Vegas and Nashville cranking up the volume for Lord Stanley. Furthermore, the standard of officiating on display has been… questionable. Once again, league Commissioner Gary Bettman has questions to answer regarding why the number of penalties called per game has fallen exponentially during the playoffs.

There is also a joke to be made about the predictability of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-round exit. However, you won’t find such quips here – it would be inappropriate to pick such low-hanging fruit.

Instead, let us focus on the Stanley Cup Final – which begins tonight and will feature the Tampa Bay Lightning (one of the most skilful teams on the planet) and the Montreal Canadiens (a team built for playoff success).

By the second week of July, either the Habs or Bolts will have won the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of puck drop on Premier Sports tonight.

Since recovering from a 3-1 series deficit versus the Maple Leafs in round one, the Montreal Canadiens have confounded the expectations of the hockey world.

However, in his final media availability before the start of the Cup Final, Habs assistant coach Luke Richardson played down the importance of the bookmakers’ odds.

“We believe that we aren’t the underdog,” Richardson – who continues to run the Montreal bench in Dominique Ducharme’s absence – said on Friday. “We're very confident in ourselves and what we've accomplished. We've tuned out the outside of the dressing room and let people say what they want.”

Indeed, they have.

The Canadiens started the postseason by upsetting the Leafs –neutralising Mitch Marner and Austin Matthews in the process. After that, Montreal eliminated the Winnipeg Jets and Vegas Golden Knights to place themselves on the precipice of history.

If Montreal can stun the Bolts (as they did to Toronto and Vegas), the Cup will be headed to Canada for the first time since 1993.

How might Montreal pull off another shock? The hard way, of course.

Statistically, the Habs were the worst team to qualify for this year’s postseason – they finished fourth in the North Division with 59 points from 56 games. In fact, Montreal’s regular season clip was so unimpressive that they finished below two non-playoff teams in the leaguewide standings.

As a result, the Canadiens will continue to look to hand-standing goalie Carey Price for inspiration.

If Montreal win the Stanley Cup, Price is almost certain to take home the Conn Smythe Trophy as postseason MVP. With a 2.02 goals-against average and .934 save percentage during the playoffs, Price has been the difference-maker for the Canadiens so far.

In fact, Montreal’s entire blue line has been on fire of late: the Canadiens have played 13 games since conceding their last power-play goal.

“Penalty-killing, the guys are playing great,” Richardson said. “They’re playing confident. They’re playing aggressive. And that’s what we have to do. For them, they obviously have elite talent. And you can’t just take one player away because then they’ll pick you apart somewhere else.”

For Montreal, then, the stage is set.

The Canadiens must be defensively excellent if they are to beat Tampa Bay. Carey Price must continue to stand on his head.

The Lightning – the reigning Stanley Cup champions – enter this year’s Cup Final shouldering the burden of inflated expectation.

The Tampa Bay Lightning should retain their title. After all, the organisation’s salary cap machinations have handed head coach Jon Cooper a Nikita Kucherov-sized advantage over the Canadiens.

However, hockey is a difficult game to predict – as Montreal has demonstrated this postseason.

So, how might the Lightning go about repeating their success from last year’s bubble?

The aforementioned Kucherov (whose hefty contract did not count against the salary cap due to his season-long stint on LTIR) will be vital; the Russian leads the playoffs with 27 points (five goals, 22 assist) in 18 appearances.

Brayden Point will also be key for the Bolts, the former 79^th overall pick has 14 goals this postseason.

However, like the Habs, Tampa can also rely on their goaltender. Andrei Vasilevskiy is 12-6 with a 1.99 goals-against average, a .936 save percentage and four shutouts this postseason. Voted a finalist for the Vezina Trophy for a fourth consecutive season, Vasilevskiy was also brilliant during the regular season.

All in all, the Tampa Bay Lightning are heavy favourites to win the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. That doesn’t, however, guarantee that Cooper’s side will overcome the Habs.

The NHL’s coronavirus-disrupted 2021 season has already thrown up many surprises.

It isn’t impossible that another could be on the way.