Fans of the Montreal Canadiens now have a clear picture of what lies ahead, as the National Hockey League (NHL) has unveiled the full schedule for the team’s first-round playoff matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The series opens Sunday evening in Tampa, with Game 1 set for 5:45 p.m. at Amalie Arena. Game 2 will follow at the same venue on Tuesday, April 21 at 7 p.m.
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After a two-day break, the series heads to Montreal. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday, April 24, and Game 4 on Sunday, April 26, both at 7 p.m. at the Bell Centre.
If the series extends, Game 5 would be played Wednesday, April 29 back in Tampa, followed by a potential Game 6 in Montreal on Friday, May 1. Start times for those games have yet to be announced. A decisive Game 7, if needed, is set for Sunday, May 3 in Tampa, with the time still to be confirmed.
This marks the first playoff meeting between the Canadiens and Lightning since the 2021 Stanley Cup Final, when Tampa Bay captured the title in five games.
Both Atlantic Division teams enter the series evenly matched in the standings, each finishing the regular season with 106 points. Tampa Bay secured home-ice advantage thanks to a higher number of regulation wins.
The NHL postseason gets underway Saturday with a trio of games, including the Ottawa Senators facing the Carolina Hurricanes, the Dallas Stars taking on the Minnesota Wild, and the Philadelphia Flyers meeting the Pittsburgh Penguins.
