Montreal Canadiens vs Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Pick & Prediction for 12/28

bangthebook nhl game preview

The Montreal Canadiens take on the Tampa Bay Lightning in an NHL regular season game. The game will be held at Benchmark International Arena on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at 5:00 PM. Fans can catch the action on ESPN+.

Montreal has a record of 20-12-5 under the guidance of head coach Martin St. Louis. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay, coached by Jon Cooper, holds a 21-13-3 record. Both teams are part of the Eastern Atlantic Division, with Tampa Bay ranked second and Montreal third.

Canadiens vs Lightning Game Day Info

  • Sport: NHL
  • Teams: Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
  • Venue: Benchmark International Arena
  • Date: Sunday, December 28, 2025
  • Betting Odds: Tampa Bay Lightning -156, Montreal Canadiens +131

Montreal Canadiens Team Preview

The Montreal Canadiens have been active in their recent games. They secured a 6-2 victory against the Boston Bruins. In that game, Lane Hutson contributed with three assists and Nick Suzuki added a goal and an assist.

In a close game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Canadiens fell short, losing 4-3. Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov each had a goal and an assist. Despite the loss, Jakub Dobes made 28 saves.

The Canadiens have shown strong performances in other games. They achieved a 4-0 win against the Penguins in a home game. Key players like Josh Anderson scored twice, while Juraj Slafkovsky and Owen Beck each found the net once.

Tampa Bay Lightning Team Preview

The Tampa Bay Lightning have been on a strong run recently. They have secured wins in three of their last five games. Their recent victory against the Florida Panthers ended with a score of 4-2.

Nikita Kucherov has been a key player for the Lightning. In the last game against the Panthers, he scored twice. Jake Guentzel also contributed with a goal and strong defensive play.

Andrei Vasilevskiy has been solid in the net for the Lightning. He made 24 saves against the Panthers, allowing only two goals. His performance has been crucial in their recent wins.

BTB Betting Pick

The Tampa Bay Lightning are favored with a moneyline of -156. Based on the current odds and their strong offensive stats, they are the pick to win. The projected score is Tampa Bay 4, Montreal 3, which suggests a close game but with Tampa Bay coming out on top.

The over/under line is set at 6.0, with the over at -110 and the under at -112. With both teams having high goals and assists stats, the projected total is 7. This suggests taking the over is a good option for this game.