The Montreal Canadiens are all set to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference first round of the 2026 NHL playoffs. Both teams qualified for the playoffs by finishing third and second, respectively, in the Atlantic Division race.
Interestingly, both sides have finished the regular season with the same number of points, 106. But eventually, the Lightning finished second by winning the tiebreakers, which were additional regulation wins. The first meeting between the two teams will take place Sunday, and here’s how fans can watch it from home:
- In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French)
- In the United States: TNT, truTV
- In the Lightning region: The Spot
- Streaming: HBO Max, Sportsnet+
The game will begin at 5:45 p.m. EDT / 2:45 p.m. PDT, and fans are already very excited about it. On paper, both sides are quite evenly matched, and they are intimately familiar with each other’s games, implying a close contest.
The Canadiens and Lightning are two of the NHL’s oldest rivals, and they have been on a great run in the last few weeks.
The Canadiens qualified for the playoffs following a late-season drive. With a record of 48-24-10 and 106 points, the team was neck to neck with everyone in the Atlantic Division. They also had a crucial victory over the New York Islanders on April 13 to eliminate them from contention and seal their playoff spot.
The Lightning have been one of the most dominant teams this season, winning 50 games. They completed with a record of 50-26-6, extending their postseason run.
What Will be the “X” Factor for Both the Canadiens and the Lightning?
The Lightning will enter the playoffs with a lot of experience in their corner. The team’s veterans have missed at least 10 games this season, but it appears that everyone will be available for the playoffs.
Big names such as Anthony Cirelli, Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel, and Darren Raddysh are expected to play in Game 1. Even if not everyone is there, the team’s anticipated playing roster is still impressive.
The Canadiens, on the other hand, have a lot of momentum heading into the playoffs. Montreal has excellent scoring depth, which can help them in the late stages of every game.
Talking a bit about their head-to-head playoff records, the Lightning has the upper hand with a record of 12-7. The last time these teams met was in the second round of the 2015 postseason games.
At the time, the Lightning also managed to gain an advantage over the Canadiens, winning 4-2 and advancing to the playoffs. Unfortunately, they went on to lose in the final.
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