Faceoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
TV/Streaming: TNT / MAX
The Canadiens carry a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 after an emotional 3-2 road victory in Game 3 on April 24, where Nick Suzuki’s overtime winner capped a comeback from a 2-0 deficit. Montreal stole Game 1 in Tampa (4-2) before dropping Game 2 (1-3) but responded with back-to-back wins, outworking the Lightning at 5-on-5 and capitalizing on special-teams opportunities. Tampa has looked flat in the last two games, with goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy facing heavy pressure and the power play converting at just 1-for-12.
Team Records
Tampa Bay Lightning: 49-29-4 overall (2nd in Atlantic Division), 27-12-2 at home in the regular season. Playoff record: 1-2.
Montreal Canadiens: 44-33-5 overall (Eastern Conference wild card, 3rd seed via tiebreakers), 20-19-2 on the road in the regular season. Playoff record: 2-1.
Recent Team Forms
Lightning (last 10 games overall): 6-4, averaging 3.2 goals per game, 31.4 shots on goal, 26.8 hits, while allowing 2.9 goals per game. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has a .912 save percentage in the series. In the series: strong at even strength in the Game 2 win but outshot 98-79 overall and struggling to generate sustained zone time.
Canadiens (last 10 games overall): 7-3, averaging 3.5 goals per game, 30.9 shots on goal, while allowing 2.7 goals per game. Goaltender Sam Montembeault has posted a .925 save percentage in the series. In the series: physical forechecking and timely scoring have flipped momentum; they are 1-1 on the road in the playoffs.
Injury Report
Lightning:
Nikita Kucherov (lower body): Questionable / game-time decision. Limited in Game 3 (12:47 TOI) and missed morning skate; his absence would be a massive blow to Tampa’s offense.
Steven Stamkos (upper body): Probable. Played through discomfort in Game 3 but is expected to center the top line.
Victor Hedman (rest): Day-to-day after heavy minutes; full participant in practice.
Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy confirmed to start.
Canadiens:
Cole Caufield (upper body): Probable. Has been a game-time decision all series but scored in Game 3 and skated fully today.
Kirby Dach (knee): Out (missed entire series).
Mike Matheson (lower body): Out (missed last two games).
Goaltender Sam Montembeault confirmed to start after a 34-save performance in Game 3.
Kucherov’s status is the defining X-factor—if he sits, Montreal’s defensive structure becomes even harder to break.
Key Player Matchups
Nikita Kucherov / Brayden Point (TBL) vs. Nick Suzuki / Montreal shutdown pair: Kucherov (3 points in series) needs to create against Suzuki’s elite two-way play; Montreal will shadow him with physicality from Kaiden Guhle.
Steven Stamkos (TBL) vs. Cole Caufield / Juraj Slafkovsky: Stamkos’ net-front presence vs. Montreal’s speed and size on the rush. Caufield has been dangerous in transition (2 goals in series).
Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL) vs. Sam Montembeault (MTL): Vasilevskiy has been excellent but overworked; Montembeault has stolen Game 3 with highlight-reel stops and looks poised in the crease.
Physicality / Forecheck: Lightning’s Brandon Hagel and Alex Killorn vs. Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson. Montreal has won the hits battle 87-64.
Special Teams: Lightning power play (1-for-12) vs. Canadiens penalty kill (9-for-10); Montreal’s power play has gone 4-for-11 and could be decisive.
Series History
These Eastern Conference foes have met in the playoffs three times previously (most recently 2022, when Tampa won in six). Tampa leads the all-time playoff series record 2-1, but Montreal has won four of the last six regular-season meetings in 2025-26. This is the first time the Canadiens have led a series against Tampa since 2014.
Betting Trends
Lightning trends: 5-5 ATS as home favorites; 1-2 ATS in the series despite home-ice advantage.
Canadiens trends: 7-3 ATS as road underdogs this season; covered in both playoff road wins.
Over/Under: Over 5.5 has hit in 47 of 82 Lightning games (57%). Series games have averaged 5.7 total goals, with overs hitting in Game 1 and Game 3.
Home/road notes: Lightning are 27-12-2 at home but have lost Game 1 here; Canadiens are 20-19-2 away and have already stolen two games.
Game Odds
Tampa Bay Lightning – 115
Montreal Canadiens 5.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, April 25, 2026
