The first-round clash between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs has been nothing short of a thriller. Every single game so far has been decided by just one goal, with four of those going into overtime. The teams have traded wins back and forth, setting the stage for a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday at Tampa Bay's Benchmark International Arena.
Montreal has won Games 1, 3, and 5—including two impressive road victories—while Tampa Bay evened things up with a tense 1-0 overtime win in Montreal last Friday. The Canadiens, who haven't won a playoff series since 2021, hold a strong 15-9 record in Game 7s overall (7-6 on the road). Meanwhile, the Lightning, aiming to avoid a fourth straight first-round exit after three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances, are 7-3 in Game 7s and an excellent 4-1 at home.
On the ice, Tampa Bay's Brandon Hagel is tied for the league lead with six goals this postseason and shares the team lead of eight points with Jake Guentzel. For Montreal, Nick Suzuki and defenseman Lane Hutson have chipped in five points each. Guentzel has been especially hot, leading the Bolts with six assists in the series and recording at least one in every game.
But the action doesn't stop there. Sunday also kicks off a Central Division showdown between the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild at Ball Arena. The Presidents' Trophy-winning Avalanche swept the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, while the Wild needed six games to dispatch the Dallas Stars. These two rivals have met three times in the postseason before, with Minnesota winning twice—both in seven games.
During the regular season, the teams split their four meetings, each winning comfortably at home and adding a shootout victory on the road. Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon led all scorers with four goals and seven points, while Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov topped the Wild with three goals and six points. Kaprizov, known for his explosive scoring ability, is a player to watch closely as a top player prop bet for Sunday's games.
Whether you're tracking the tight Game 7 drama or the fresh rivalry series, these matchups offer plenty of opportunities for smart betting. Keep an eye on players like Guentzel, Kaprizov, and Hagel—they're the ones who can make or break your prop bets this weekend.