NHL Playoff Preview: Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning with Line Combinations 04/19/2026

Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, 106 pts) at Tampa Bay Lightning (50-26-6, 106 pts)

Venue: Bell Centre
Date: Sunday, April 19
Time: 5:45 pm EST
How To Watch: TNT/truTV/HBO Max
Radio: TSN 690/102.5 FM The Bone

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Montreal Canadiens News & Notes:

The Canadiens suffered a 4-2 loss to the Flyers to end the regular season. They were one of the hottest teams in the league from the middle of March to the beginning of February, winning ten of 11 games. They went 2-1-1 against Tampa Bay this season, averaging 2.8 goals per game.

Tampa Bay Lightning News & Notes:

The Lightning had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 4-2 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday to end the regular season. They went 4-4-0 in April. In four games against Montreal this season, they went 2-2-0, averaging 3.3 goals per game.

Montreal Canadiens Projected Lines

Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Texier-Newhook-Demidov
Bolduc-Kapanen-Dach
Evans-Danault-Anderson

Matheson-Guhle
Hutson-Carrier
Struble-Xhekaj

Dobes
Fowler

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Tampa Bay Lightning Projected Lines:

Guentzel-Point-Kucherov
Hagel-Cirelli-Goncalves
Girgensons-Gourde-Bjorkstrand
Sabourin-Paul-Perry

Raddysh-Moser
McDonagh-Cernak
D’Astous-Lilleberg

Vasilevskiy
Johansson

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Players To Watch:

Montreal Canadiens

Cole Caufield had a point in three of the four games against the Lightning this season, finishing with two goals and two assists against Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Nikita Kucherov has four points in two of the four games against Montreal this season, with three goals and an assist.

Injury Report:

Montreal Canadiens

F Patrik Laine – IR
D Noah Dobson – Out

Tampa Bay Lightning

F Dominic James – IR
D Victor Hedman – DTD
F Pontus Holmberg – DTD

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