The Tampa Bay Lightning dealt me an L on my best bet on Thursday, but considering I’m a part of a Habs family (by marriage), I don’t mind so much that the Montreal Canadiens won. The Canadiens and two other teams will look to punch their ticket to the second round tomorrow night. For my best bet for Friday (May 1st): NHL Playoffs Predictions, we’re off to the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. Let’s get this money!
Best Bet For Friday (May 1st): NHL Playoffs Predictions
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Montreal Canadiens
Start Time: 7:00 PM EST
Interestingly, all three road teams are slight favorites in tomorrow night’s Game 6s, including this Eastern Conference First Round series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens. A win on their home ice would send the Habs into the second round and send the Lightning to the golf course.
This has been an incredibly tight series, with each game decided by one goal, and no team winning back-to-back games. My bet is bucking at least half of those trends, as I’m picking the Canadiens to win their second straight game and vanquish the Lightning.
As is often the case with my Stanley Cup Playoffs picks, this comes down to the home ice. Tampa Bay already got a win on enemy turf, in Game 4, so the odds of them getting a second W in La Belle Province are not high. I’ll take the Canadiens on the moneyline as my best bet for Friday.
Best Bet: Montreal ML (-100)
Best Bet Overall 2026 Record: 70-49 (59%)
Profit (based on $100/bet): $502.10
Return on Investment: 4%
SGPN Daily Content for May 1st, 2026
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