Opening Game 7 Lightning vs Canadiens Odds & Early Prediction

• The Lightning and Canadiens will play a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday
• Four of six games in the series have gone to overtime, with every game decided by one goal
• See the opening Game 7 Lightning vs Canadiens odds and my early prediction below

Andrei Vasilevskiy shut the door on Friday night, stopping all 30 shots he faced as Tampa Bay forced a Game 7 with a 1-0 overtime win at the Bell Centre. Gage Goncalves scored the winner at 9:03 of OT after the Lightning killed off a Kucherov tripping penalty in the extra period.

Oddsmakers instantly released opening Game 7 Lightning vs Canadiens odds, with DraftKings installing Tampa as a -166 home favorite for Sunday’s winner-take-all at 3:10 PM ET. The full NHL odds reflect just how tight this series has been — every game has been decided by one goal.

Here are the opening Game 7 Lightning vs Canadiens odds, the key series stats, and my early prediction for Sunday’s game. For the full playoff picture, check out our NHL playoff bracket.

Game 7 Lightning vs Canadiens Odds

The opening Game 7 odds show Tampa as a -166 moneyline favorite, translating to a 62.4% implied probability. Montreal is +140 on the road, giving the Habs a 41.7% implied chance at advancing.

The total is set at 5.5 with the under juiced to -135, which makes sense given how this series has played out. The puck line has Montreal +1.5 at -185 for bettors who want the Habs but don’t want to sweat a one-goal loss.

DRAFTKINGS SPORTSBOOK

Offer

T&Cs

Sign Up Today & Receive Up to
$1,050 in Bonuses!

GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org (MA). Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Please Gamble Responsibly. 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), or visit www.mdgamblinghelp.org (MD). 21+ and present in most states. (18+ DC/KY/NH/WY). Void in ONT/OR/NH. Eligibility restrictions apply. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). Pass-thru of per wager tax may apply in IL. 1 per new customer. Must register new account to receive reward Token. Must select Token BEFORE placing min. $5 bet to receive $300 in Bonus Bets if your bet wins. Min. -500 odds req. Token and Bonus Bets are single-use and non-withdrawable. Token expires 2/1/26. Bonus Bets expire in 7 days (168 hours). Stake removed from payout. Terms: sportsbook.draftkings.com/promos. Ends 1/25/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Sponsored by DK.

LOCK IN PROMO

SIGNUP PROMO

SIGN UP
& GET $1,050

BONUS BETS + DEPOSIT BONUS

GET PROMO

Odds as of May 1 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Claim the DraftKings promo code to bet on Game 7.

Lightning vs Canadiens Game 7 Preview

Every game in this series has been decided by one goal. Four of six have gone to overtime. The aggregate score across six games is 14-14. This is as close to a coin flip as a Game 7 gets.

Lightning vs Canadiens Series Stats

Tampa has the shot volume edge (167-147) and Brandon Hagel has been the series MVP with 6 goals and 8 points in five games. Vasilevskiy’s Game 6 shutout was a reminder of what he’s capable of when his back is against the wall — it was his eighth career playoff shutout.

Montreal has countered with Jakub Dobes, who has been the better goalie in this series at .916 save percentage vs Vasilevskiy’s .905. The 22-year-old rookie has faced more shots and has already stolen two games in Tampa (Games 1 and 5). The Habs have also dominated the faceoff dot (+40) and out-hit the Lightning 258-197.

The Kucherov question looms large. He’s only played four of six games and averaged just 21 minutes when he has suited up. If he’s at full strength on Sunday, Tampa’s top line is the most dangerous unit on the ice. If he’s limited again, Montreal’s physical style can take over.

Game 7 Lightning vs Canadiens Prediction

• Canadiens +1.5 & Under 5.5 Goals (+100 parlay at DraftKings)

I’m parlaying Canadiens +1.5 with the under 5.5 to get to even money. The puck line alone is -185, which is steep juice for a series where every game has been decided by one goal. Pairing it with the under brings the price to +100 and both legs fit what we’ve seen all series.

Five of six games have produced five goals or fewer, and neither goalie is going to give up easy ones in a Game 7. Dobes has been ice cold under pressure and has already won twice in this building. Even if Tampa wins, it’s going to be another one-goal game, which means the +1.5 cashes either way.