Game 1: What you need to know

TAMPA - The moment has finally arrived! The Canadiens will play their first Stanley Cup Final game since 1993.

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Here's everything you need to know heading into Game 1:
Looking back
The Canadiens' fanbase will always remember Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day in 2021. Left-winger Artturi Lehkonen scored just 99 seconds into overtime to put Montreal into the Stanley Cup Final courtesy of a six-game Semifinal series victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Captain Shea Weber scored his first goal of the playoffs in the opening frame, while rookie Cole Caufield added his fourth postseason tally in the second period. Goaltender Carey Price made 37 saves to register his 12th win of the playoffs.
Tweet from @CanadiensMTL: Une soir��e que l���on n���oubliera jamais.A night we'll never forget.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/VCPQePWKhf
Lehkonen became the ninth player in franchise history to help the Canadiens reach the Stanley Cup Final by scoring in overtime. He's also the first player to accomplish the feat since Yvon Lambert in 1979 when Montreal eliminated the Boston Bruins in the Semifinal.
The Canadiens went on to win the Stanley Cup title that year.
Tweet from @CanadiensMTL: 🗣OL�� OL�� OL�� OL������������#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/itIYTHm66r
Quick hits
- This is Montreal's first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final since their last triumph in 1993. It's also the 35th time they've participated in the Final, which is the second-highest total of any franchise in North America's four major sports leagues. The New York Yankees (MLB) lead the way with 40 appearances in the World Series.
- The Canadiens are the first Canadian-based team to participate in the Stanley Cup Final since 2011, when Vancouver did so before losing to Boston in seven games. Overall, there have been five instances of a Canadian club reaching the Final since the Canadiens last won a championship, but each team fell to a stateside opponent.
Tweet from @CanadiensMTL: Un nouveau troph��e pour notre collection.Adding a new trophy to our collection.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/YCy8ktPhDm
- Montreal is the fourth team in the last 30 years to reach the Stanley Cup Final with at least three players who are 21 years old or younger in their lineup (Nick Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Caufield). The other teams are: Tampa Bay (4) in 2015, Pittsburgh (5) in 2008 and Florida (4) in 1996.
Tweet from @CanadiensMTL: 🤗#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/K5Fabf6ct6
Watch list
Rising to the occasion:The Canadiens' young forwards were standouts in the Semifinal against Vegas. Caufield led the team with four goals, becoming the first player aged 20 years old or younger to score four goals in a Semifinal and/or Conference Final since Jordan Staal with the Penguins in 2008. Only eight rookies in Habs history have scored more goals than Caufield in a single playoff run: Claude Lemieux (10 in 1986), Odie Cleghorn (9 in 1919), Jacques Lemaire (7 in 1968), Howie Morenz (7 in 1924), Johnny Gagnon (6 in 1931), Shayne Corson (6 in 1987), Gerry Plamondon (5 in 1949) and Jack LeClair (5 in 1955). Caufield (4 goals, 5 assists and 9 points in 15 games), is also the first Montreal rookie to record nine points or more in one playoff run since Shayne Corson in 1987 (6 goals, 5 assists and 11 points in 17 games). The Stevens Point, WI native is a scoring machine. In 58 games this year, Caufield amassed 41 goals, including 30 goals in 31 games with the NCAA's University of Wisconsin Badgers, three goals in two games with the AHL's Laval Rocket, and four goals in 10 games with the Canadiens in the regular season plus four more in the playoffs. For his part, Suzuki finished first in team scoring against Vegas alongside Caufield with five points (1 goal, 4 assists) in six games. The London, ON native has 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 17 playoff games. He ranks second on the roster in that department, one point behind winger Tyler Toffoli (5 goals, 9 assists). Only one player has amassed more points in a single playoff run than Suzuki before age 22: Lemieux (16 points) in 1986.
Tweet from @CanadiensMTL: COLE. CAUFIELD.Malade.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/PhAvobjbCb
Carey being Carey:Price had the last word in the series against Vegas. With a victory in Game 6, the Anahim Lake, BC native joined Ken Dryden (6 times - 1971, 1973, 1976 to 1979) and Patrick Roy (3 times - 1986, 1989, 1993) as the only goaltenders in Canadiens history to secure 12 victories in a single playoff run. The 33-year-old netminder has been outstanding since Game 5 of the first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, compiling an 11-2 record, along with a 1.85 goals-against average, a .938 save percentage and one shutout. Price is participating in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time. In 17 playoff games this year, Price has a 12-5 record, along with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage.
Tweet from @CanadiensMTL: CAREY! CAREY! CAREY!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/AojwXQpKb6
Dominant down a man:One of the main reasons for the Canadiens' playoff success is the performance of their penalty-killing units. Montreal has killed off 30 straight penalties and hasn't surrendered a power play goal since Game 4 of the first-round series against Toronto. That's a streak of 13 games in a row. The Canadiens have also been dangerous offensively while down a man, scoring four short-handed goals. Wingers Joel Armia (2 goals), Paul Byron (1 goal) and Toffoli (1 goal) all scored under those circumstances. Montreal boasts a 93.5% success rate in the playoffs when it comes to blanking opposition power plays.
Tweet from @CanadiensMTL: HOLY TOFFOLI. 🔥#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/PspCgyEv3D
What's on tap?
Fan activations are presented by four pillar partners RONA, Scotiabank, Lafleur and Ford.
Details on all of the team's postseason initiatives, including schedules and direct links to the appropriate content platforms, can be found at canadiens.com/playoffs.
At the other end
The Lightning joined the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final by eliminating the New York Islanders on Friday night with a 1-0 win in Game 7. Forward Yanni Gourde scored the lone goal in the second period while Tampa Bay was short-handed. The Saint-Narcisse, QC native became the first player to score a short-handed game-winning goal in a Game 7 since Steve Larmer of the Chicago Blackhawks in 1990. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 18 saves to register the shutout.
Tweet from @TBLightning: Penalty kill ������Shorthanded goal ������Yanni Gourde celly ������������������ pic.twitter.com/blFrWhllz2
The Lightning are the defending Stanley Cup champions. They're trying to become just the third team in the last 30 years to win a championship in back-to-back seasons after the Pittsburgh Penguins (1990-91 and 1991-92 and 2015-16 and 2016-17) and the Detroit Red Wings (1996-97 and 1997-98).
Watch list
Battle between the pipes:The Stanley Cup Final will feature the two best goaltenders in the playoffs. Tampa Bay can count on Vasilevskiy night after night. He leads the League with a 1.99 goals-against average, a .936 save percentage and four shutouts. With a shutout against the Islanders in Game 7, the 26-year-old Russian secured his fourth consecutive shutout in a series-clinching contest. That's an NHL record. The former first-round selection of the Lightning in 2012 (19th overall) was outstanding in the series versus New York, posting a 1.59 goals-against average, a .940 save percentage and two shutouts.
Tweet from @TBLightning: Vasy closing a series the only way he knows how 👏������������������������ pic.twitter.com/fAkk4UURxt
Making history:Forward Brayden Point has etched his name in the NHL record books during the playoffs this year. The Calgary native scored in nine straight games between June 3 and June 23 to become the second player in League history to post a similar postseason streak. Reggie Leach set the record of 10 straight games with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1976. Point has a League-leading 14 goals in 18 games. The former third-round selection of the Lightning in 2014 (79th overall) is the fifth player in NHL history to score at least 14 goals on more than one occasion in the playoffs, joining Jarri Kurri (4x), Mike Bossy (3x), Mario Lemieux (2x) and Wayne Gretzky (2x).
Tweet from @TBLightning: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 #GoBolts pic.twitter.com/CRP7RloUVa
No shortage of offense:The Lightning aren't in the Final for a second consecutive year by accident. Cooper's squad has the top five point-getters in the playoffs. Right-winger Nikita Kucherov leads the way with 27 points (5 goals, 22 assists) in 18 games. Point (20 points), Steven Stamkos (17 points), Alex Killorn (17 points) and defenseman Victor Hedman (16 points) round out the group. Tampa Bay's power play has also connected on 20 of 53 chances for a 37.7% success rate. With that in mind, the Canadiens must avoid the penalty box.
Tweet from @TBLightning: Another game, another Pointer playoff goal ������ pic.twitter.com/gXIsGwzCcs
On paper
Here are a few key stats from both teams since the playoffs began:
Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET. You can watch the game on CBC, Sportsnet and TVA Sports, and listen to all the action on TSN Radio 690 and 98,5 fm.
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