The Montreal Canadiens can advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2021 with a victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round at Bell Centre on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
The Canadiens lead the series 3-2 after a 4-2 win in Game 5 on Thursday, April 30. Nick Suzuki scored twice, including an empty-net goal, and Sam Montembeault made 28 saves. The Lightning, the defending Stanley Cup champions, have won two of the last three titles (2020, 2021) and are seeking to force a Game 7.
Key storylines include the Canadiens' power play, which has struggled at 1-for-15 (6.7%) in the series, and the Lightning's penalty kill, which has been perfect. Tampa Bay's top line of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Steven Stamkos has combined for 12 points, but Montreal's depth scoring has been a factor.
In goal, Andrei Vasilevskiy has a .918 save percentage for the Lightning, while Montembeault has a .912 mark. The Canadiens are 2-0 at home in the series, outscoring Tampa Bay 8-4 at Bell Centre.
Game 6 puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. If necessary, Game 7 would be in Tampa on Monday, May 4.
