2 Tampa Bay Lightning Defeat No. 8 Montreal Canadiens

After a Bubble-Encased 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs Were Back to a More Traditional Setup for the 2021 Postseason

WEB - 07-05-2021 - 11 Min Read

After a 56-game sprint and a few COVID-19-related delays, the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs are officially here. The first round matchups are set, and the excitement is building.

One of the most intriguing matchups in the first round is between the No. 2-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning and the No. 8-seeded Montreal Canadiens. The Lightning are the defending Stanley Cup champions, and they are looking to become the first team to repeat as champions since the Pittsburgh Penguins did it in 2016 and 2017.

The Canadiens, on the other hand, are a Cinderella team that has defied the odds all season long. They finished the regular season with a 24-21-11 record, but they have played like a top team in the playoffs so far.

The two teams met in the first round of the playoffs last year, and the Lightning won in five games. However, the Canadiens are a different team this year, and they will be looking to avenge their playoff loss from last season.

The series is expected to be a close one, and it could go either way. The Lightning have the experience and the star power, but the Canadiens have the momentum and the home-ice advantage.

The first game of the series is set for Wednesday, May 5th, at 7:30 p.m. ET