KEYS TO THE GAME
Why not us?
Winning a Game 7 starts with belief—and the Canadiens should have plenty of it. Montreal has won two of three games in Tampa this series and was one of the NHL’s best road teams all season. So why not one more in the biggest game of the year?
Follow the leaders
Six current Habs were on the roster the last time the Canadiens played a Game 7 on May 31, 2021: Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield, Phillip Danault, Jake Evans, Brendan Gallagher, and Nick Suzuki. Combined, they bring 11 games of Game 7 experience. On the other side, Corey Perry—who was also part of that 2021 Canadiens team—has 11 on his own. The edge in experience leans heavily toward Tampa, so Montreal’s young group will look to its leaders to guide the way in a high-pressure moment.
Block out the noise
Game 7s don’t come without outside noise––especially in a market like Montreal––but it’ll be crucial for the Habs to block out said noise and simply play their game. Not only have they kept pace with the Lightning, but one would argue they’ve outplayed Tampa for large stretches of this series. In fact, the Canadiens have trailed for only about 28 minutes of game time all series. Regardless, Sunday is about going out, trusting their identity and winning a hockey game.
HEAD TO HEAD
Regular season
Dec. 9 vs. TBL: 6-1 TBL
Dec. 28 @ TBL: 5-4 TBL (SO)
Mar. 31 @ TBL: 4-1 MTL
Apr. 9 vs. TBL: 2-1 MTL
Playoffs
Game 1 | Apr. 19 @ TBL: 4-3 MTL (OT)
Game 2 | Apr. 21 @ TBL: 3-2 TBL (OT)
Game 3 | Apr. 24 vs. TBL: 3-2 MTL (OT)
Game 4 | Apr. 26 vs. TBL: 3-2 TBL
Game 5 | Apr. 28 @ TBL: 3-2 MTL
Game 6 | May 1 vs. TBL: 1-0 TBL (OT)
PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR
Jakub Dobes and Andrei Vasilevskiy have gone toe-to-toe all series, and Game 7 should be no different. Dobes, the rookie, starred with 38 saves in Game 5, while Vasilevskiy, a future Hall-of-Famer, stole Game 6 for Tampa.
Who gets the last laugh in Game 7? We’ll find out soon enough.
BY THE NUMBERS: HABS-BOLTS
Here’s how the Canadiens and Lightning match up by the numbers:
