Habs vs. Bolts Playoff Preview: G1 Lines, Goalies, How To Watch

Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The Montreal Canadiens will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game One of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday, with the puck drop scheduled for 5:45 pm ET.

The Habs should be considered the underdogs, though it’s important to remember that they were the better team at controlling the shots whenever these two met. To ensure some semblance of stability, the Canadiens will once again rely on the top line of Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Cole Caufield to drive the offence, while trying to avoid Tampa Bay’s top shutdown line.

Special teams are expected to play a crucial role in the first round, and not only because it’s a short series. The Canadiens are a top-10 team with the man-advantage, while the Lightning are dominant whenever they’re on the penalty kill. The organization that manages to break through could end up securing a significant advantage.

The earlier start time could also present a challenge for Montreal, a team that generally requires some sort of adversity before responding. That can fly during the regular season, but not in the playoffs, especially versus a veteran club such as the Lightning.