The Sabres are also looking to go up 2-0 in their series against the Bruins in rowdy KeyBank Arena in Buffalo tonight.
Focus on the Canadiens is piquing after the Juraj Slafkovsky-led show in Tampa Sunday night, with Montreal coming out on top 4-3 over the Lightning in Game 1 of their opening round series.
The Slovakian right winger, on a power line with Nick Suzuki at center, and 51-goal scorer Cole Caufield on the left side, had a hattrick in the win, including the winner at 1:22 into overtime.
“It’s been unbelievable, honestly,” said Josh Anderson, Slafkovsky’s teammate, to ESPN. “This year, he obviously took a huge stride. He’s a power forward, a big guy, and it’s just hard to stop him.”
Tonight, the Canadiens are looking to make it 2-0 on Tampa ice, a tall order, before the series heads back to the Bell Centre in Montreal on Friday.
The Lightning will be without top defenceman Victor Hedman (personal). The Canadiens continue to be without defenceman Noah Dobson, out with a thumb injury.
BEST BETS
Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. EST, Benchmark International Arena, Tampa, FL
Lightning Moneyline +135
At Betway, the Lightning are -180 favourites on the Moneyline, the Canadiens +150. Against the Spread: Lightning -1.5 (+130), Canadiens +1.5 (-165). Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (Over is -125, Under is +105).
Just like last night in the Minnesota Wild-Dallas Stars series, with the Wild hammering the Stars, on Dallas home ice no less, 6-1 in Game 1, and the Stars coming back in Game 2, 4-2, I see the same scenario tonight in Tampa.
The Habs are legitimate, but I just don’t see a Jon Cooper-coached team going down 2-0 , a playoff-experienced squad that the Lightning are, heading back to Montreal.
And I don’t see Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov being held off the goal scoring sheet again (although he did have two assists in Game 1)
Prop: Nikita Kucherov Total Goals Over 0.5, +140
Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabres, 7:30 p.m. EST, KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY
Bruins ATS
At Betway, the Sabres are -165 favourites on the Moneyline, the Bruins +135. Against the Spread: Sabres -1.5 (+145), Bruins +1.5 (-190). Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (Over is +115, Under is -150).
The Sabres stormed back in dramatic fashion late in the third period, down 2-0 in Game 1, to take the game 4-3, and I don’t expect to see that same scenario from the Bruins tonight.
Still, the Sabres are a powerhouse. But I am going to hold off on Bruins Moneyline and take the Bruins ATS, for Game 2.
Prop: Tage Thompson was a beast in Game 1, Total Points Over 1.5, +175
Utah Mammoth at Vegas Golden Knights 9:30 p.m. EST, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Golden Knights Moneyline
At Betway, the Golden Knights are -150 favourites on the Moneyline, the Mammoth +125. Against the Spread: Golden Knights -1.5 (+155), Mammoth +1.5 (-200). Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (Over is -130, Under is +110).
Vegas, it seems, finally has a goalie in Carter Hart – 1.66 GAA, and a .930 save percentage in his last six starts. Golden Knights head John Tortorella, who took over the position March 29, coached Hart in Philadelphia and clearly favours him over Adin Mill. Hart had 31 saves, with a .939 SV%, in Vegas’ 4-2 Game 1 win over Utah Sunday night.
I agree with a lot of the takes I am reading – the betting markets aren’t giving the Golden Knights enough respect. They’ve been on a roll since Tortorella took over, just in time for the start of the playoffs.
Prop: Ivan Barbashev was money for me all year, as I finished third overall in an NHL fantasy pool. I am taking Ivan Total Goals Over 0.5, +275
