The 2020-21 NHL season has been an adventurous one and that’s putting it lightly. From a delayed start to rapid in-season scheduling changes, there have been plenty of hiccups along the way but they managed to make it through the abbreviated regular season schedule and the first three rounds of the playoffs. Included in the schedule this season, of course, were new divisions with the end result being that a team that’s normally in the East won the trophy that typically goes to the winner of the Western Conference. In a year like this though, there have been stranger things than that.
In the end, there are just two teams remaining. One is the defending Stanley Cup champion that many expected to be in the mix to win it again. The other is a team that lost more games than it won during the regular season and virtually no one expected them to make it anywhere near this far.
Let’s start with Tampa Bay. The defending champs added a healthy Nikita Kucherov to the mix for the playoffs after he missed the entire season due to hip surgery and he hasn’t missed a beat; his 27 points not only lead the team but lead the entire league in scoring so far. Brayden Point just had a nine-game goal stretch snapped in Friday’s series-clinching victory over the Islanders and the end result is an attack that is averaging the second-most goals per game of any playoff team at 3.22 (Colorado was first, averaging 3.8 in their two series). They’re also one of the stingiest defensive teams with Andrei Vasilevskiy pitching four shutouts already.
As for Montreal, they’ve won with a balanced lineup that has taken turns scoring just enough in key moments to get them over the top. Cole Caufield – who was playing college hockey three months ago – has turned into a key cog offensively while Nick Suzuki has elevated his play in the playoffs for the second straight year as well. Carey Price is playing some of the best hockey of his career and their penalty kill has been nothing short of outstanding. They haven’t allowed a power play goal in 13 games – an NHL playoff record – and have killed off 30 straight opportunities (outscoring their opponents 3-0 along the way).
That theme may very well be the most interesting one of the series (even more than the goalie matchup) – Montreal’s dominant penalty kill versus Tampa Bay’s elite power play which is clicking along at a whopping 37.7%. While there haven’t been a lot of penalties called in the playoffs, special teams have been game-changers for both teams so far. Will that trend continue for one of them?
It’s a unique Stanley Cup matchup, one that we’re unlikely to see again since the league is going back to its usual conference format for 2021-22 and beyond. Which team will come out victorious? Will the Lightning make it two in a row or will the Canadiens pull off one more upset? Make your prediction by voting in the poll below.
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If this was the conference format from last year these two team are the teams from the east!
Thanks Captain Obvious
I just glad Vegas didn’t make it…. DeBoer
Worst case scenario cup final happened. I blame the Avs, Knights and the Canadian border lockdown.
So the Habs don’t belong there ya right look at the team’s they beat..but wait you all said the north division was weak this year .lol……
I said nothing about the Habs. An east vs east finals is just bad. Montreal deserves it.
I will agree they deserve it but I think TB is just a tad deeper…it’s good for 8pm est start times sorry no bad remarks intended…✌️
You put hats in 5 twice I think Montreal sweeps
I said before the season that Montreal has the best chance to win of any Canadian team I’ve seen for awhile, due to their similar construction to the 93 Habs.
I never said they were the favorite, though…
TB has the best goalie, best D man and best forward group in the league. They have a salary cap full of great players AND then Kucherov on top. Hard to beat.
It’s also hard to repeat.
I want to pick MTL to build on my original pick, but it seems a fool’s errand given how good TB is…so…I’ll just say, IF Tampa IS that much better they will finish this off in 4 or 5 games. If they can’t just crush them, the Habs have the magic and could win in 6.
F it, Habs in 6.
Considering TB is close to 10 million over the cap, I project them to win. Cheating the system has its benefits.
Kucherov’s point production is a clear indicator of how this is working out for them.
If the Canadians can injure (honestly so with physical play) some TB talent, they can win.
Love to see the Habs but Tbay in 6games ….