The race to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final continues. The Montreal Canadiens hold a 2-1 series lead over the Vegas Golden Knights in one semifinal, while the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders are tied at 2 in the other.
Montreal won 3-2 in overtime Friday, thanks in large part to a mistake from Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. The New York Islanders won 3-2 on Saturday, with a late save from defenseman Ryan Pulock helping them to square the series as it heads back to Florida.
The action will pick back up Sunday, with the Golden Knights and Canadiens facing off in Game 4. The remaining semifinal schedule and Stanley Cup championship odds are as follows.
2021 NHL Semifinal Round
No. 2 Vegas Golden Knights vs. No. 4 Montreal Canadiens
Game 4: Sunday, June 20 at 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
Game 5: Tuesday, June 22 at 9 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
Game 6: Thursday, June 24 at 8 p.m. ET, USA Network
Game 7: Saturday, June 26 at 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. No. 4 New York Islanders
Game 5: Monday, June 21 at 8 p.m. ET, USA Network
Game 6: Wednesday, June 23 at 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
Game 7: Friday, June 25 at 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
Stanley Cup Champion Odds
Tampa Bay: +160
Vegas: +200
Montreal: +500
New York: +500
NHL @NHLGAME SAVER, RYAN PULOCK!!! 🤯 #StanleyCup
The Canadiens have proved over their past two games that they won't be an easy out for Vegas. While the Golden Knights remain betting favorites to win the series, losing the series is a very real possibility.
If there's consolation to be taken by Vegas from Friday's overtime loss, it's that the Golden Knights were a play away from a win and a series lead. Fleury mishandled the pick late in regulation, sending it into open ice and creating a scoring opportunity for Montreal winger Josh Anderson.
"It was an unfortunate bounce. There's nothing you can do about it," Golden Knights captain Mark Stone said, per ESPN's Emily Kaplan. "Fleury has been great all year. It was one mistake, and we needed to bail him out, and we didn't."
If the Golden Knights avoid uncharacteristic mistakes in Game 4, they will have a good chance to even the series Sunday.
In the other semifinal, the Lightning will need to avoid landing in another early hole if they're to repeat as championst. A three-goal flurry in the second period put the Islanders ahead for good, though Tampa Bay made it very interesting in the third.
The Lightning grabbed two goals of their own in the third, and they nearly made it three with a few seconds left, but Pulock blocked a goal-bound effort with goalie Semyon Varlamov out of position. That would have led to overtime—and potentially to a 3-1 series lead for Tampa Bay.
"I think everybody’s breath was kind of taken away when that puck was coming," Islanders center Mathew Barzal said, per Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
The Lightning have the talent to get back on top in the series, but they will need to regroup quickly, with the teams back in action Monday. Their third-period surge shows just how quickly they can put goals on the board. Expect a faster start for Tampa Bay in Game 5.
"As exciting as the ending was on Saturday, the Lightning blew this one with a 'red rotten' second period, according to coach Jon Cooper," The Athletic's Joe Smith wrote. "They were turning pucks over, losing battles. It was reminiscent of the Game 1 loss.
While all four teams appear capable of getting to the Stanley Cup Final and winning it, expect Tampa and Vegas to rebound and meet in the next round.
Stanley Cup Final Prediction: Tampa Bay over Vegas in 6.
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