For Jack of a Better Name

Montreal at Tampa Bay -240 Tonight is Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bolts are up 3-1 in the series after Montreal won Game 4 in overtime 3-2. I really think the Habs exhausted all their energy to win the one game and extend the series back to Amalie Arena. The Lightning is heavy favourites and to be fair they deserve to be. This feels like a swan song for the NHL season and Tampa Bay will be the 2-time defending champions. It's always sad when the seasons are over but the Mayor and the Lightning faithful can see them win in person. Record: 53-30

Tampa Bay -155 at Montreal Tonight is Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. The Lightning is up 3-0 in the series with the chance to win the Stanley Cup on Montreal's ice. As a biased Red Wings fan that doesn't want their records tainted, I'm picking Montreal to win this Game 4 at home and keep their season alive for a couple days longer. The Tampa Bay Mayor doesn't want them to win so why should we. Record: 52-30

Tampa Bay -125 at Montreal Tonight is Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. The Lightning is up 2-0 in the series after a 3-1 win in Game 2. The Bolts appear to be dominating this series but Montreal missed early chances in Game 2 and Andrei Vasilevskiy had a spectacular 42 save performance. The Habs are getting great experience in this series but are overmatched. There hasn't been a sweep in the Stanley Cup Finals since 1998 but I think Tampa Bay gets one step closer to this goal. Record: 51-30

Montreal at Tampa Bay -200 Tonight is Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bolts are up 1-0 in the series after a 5-1 win in Game 1. Montreal was overwhelmed by Tampas offence, especially in the third period. I think the score was a little deceptive but the Lightning is clearly the better team. I'll take the Bolts to win game 2 and sweep the homestand to start this cup final. Record: 50-30

Montreal at Tampa Bay -190  Tonight is Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning. These two teams meet in the Stanley Cup Final for most likely the first and last time. The Habs are the underdog no one expected to be here. After falling down 3-1 to the Leafs, swept Winnipeg, and took out Vegas in 6. The Lightning is the defending Stanley Cup Champion juggernaut that beat Florida in 6, Carolina in 5, and the New York Islanders in 6. This is the theme of the more recent Stanley Cup Finals. The juggernaut and the underdog. In this game, I don't think Montreal's Stanley Cup experience (Toffoli) will be enough to keep up with a battle-tested Lightning squad. I'm taking the Lightning to win this game 1. Record: 49-30 

NY Islanders at Tampa Bay -165 Tonight has the best two words in sports, Game 7. The New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning face off in a do-or-die winner take all game. The Islanders saved their season and possibly closed Nassau Coliseum on a high note with a 3-2 overtime win after an Anthony Beauviller winner just over a minute into the overtime. Even with the crowd showering the ice with their beer cans it was a successful happy night in Long Island. In a game 7 anything can happen. For this game, I'm going with Tampa Bay to take advantage of home ice and win this series advancing to host the Montreal Canadiens on Monday. Record: 48-30

Vegas -140 at Montreal Tonight is Game 6 of the second Stanley Cup Sem-Finals between the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens have the chance to be the first Canadian team to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2011. The Habs are up 3-2 in the series after a 4-1 victory in Vegas. The Golden Knights are going back to Robin Lehner after Marc-Andre Fleury was in the net for the Game 5 loss. The fact that Lehner hasn't had three straight starts might cost Vegas their season. The -140 Moneyline is interesting to me because Vegas has always been the favourite but the number has gotten smaller and smaller. I do believe this is Montreal's best chance the advance. If this goes to a Game 7 Vegas has all the pedigree which is shocking to say that the team that has been around for 4 years has more experience than the 24-time champion Montreal Canadiens. If this is their chance I'm going to pick Montreal and represent Canada (Sorry Leafs fans...

Tampa Bay -145 at NY Islanders Tonight is Game 6 of the first Stanley Cup Semi-Final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders. Tampa Bay has the chance to close Nassau Coliseum with a win and advance to their second straight Stanley Cup Final. This comes off the heels of an embarrassing 8-0 win in Game 5. The Lightning is not quite heavy favourites at -145 but I don't think the Islanders with let Nassau close with a loss. I'm taking New York to win and extend this series to 7. Record: 46-30

Montreal at Vegas -230 Tonight is Game 5 of the second Stanley Cup Semi-Final between the Montreal Canadiens and Vegas Golden Knights. Just like last night with Tampa-New York the series is tied at 2 and one team looks to take control heading back to Montreal. Vegas won Game 4 after a 2-1 overtime victory after Nicholas Roy score just over 1 minute into the period. Now Vegas is going back to Marc Andre Fleury for Game 5 after his Game 3 blunder late in the third period. These teams are so evenly matched it doesn't make sense but Montreal made it here for a reason. Carey Price has been spectacular and the players in front of him have fed off it. Vegas is a heavy -230 favourite but just because it's Fleury again I'm going with Montreal to take control of the series heading back home. Record: 45-30

NY Islanders at Tampa Bay -175 Tonight is game 5 of the first Stanley Cup Semi-Final between the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning. The series is tied at 2 after a miraculous last-second save by Ryan Pulock to secure the win for the Long Island fans. Now, this is the swing game of the series and I can't lie I have no idea who to pick in this game. Even last year in Edmonton these teams were so even and while Tampa regained their captain and New York lost theirs earlier this season it should be a runaway series for the Bolts. With that logic, I'm going with Tampa Bay to win this game and take the stranglehold in the series. Record: 44-30

Vegas -180 at Montreal  Tonight is Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals between the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens. The Habs are up 2-1 in the series after a 3-2 overtime win led by Carey Price's 45 save performance. To say Montreal was outplayed and outshot for the first 56 or 57 minutes would be an understatement. But Marc-Andre Fleury's gaffe and Josh Anderson's late-game heroics have Montreal within two wins of the Stanley Cup Final. With Vegas having a question mark in net between Fleury or Robin Lehner it seems all the momentum is with the Canadiens despite the Golden Knights still being -180 favourites. I'm hesitant on this pick either way but I'm going with Vegas to win this one and even the series at 2. Record: 43-30

Tampa Bay -130 at NY Islanders Tonight is Game 4 of the first Stanley Cup Semi-Finals between the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders. The Bolts are up 2-1 in the series after a 2-1 win in Game 3. Tampa Bay played the Islanders type of game and managed to win after a Brayden Point getting the winning goal. Now the Islanders appear to be on their heels with their backs against the wall. This is a game that Barry Trotz should have his guys ready for an elimination-type game. It's hard to pick against the Lightning especially winning at the Islanders game but I'm going to do so. I think the Isles will feed off the Long Island crowd and give those fans one more game at home. Record: 42-30

Vegas -170 at Montreal Tonight is Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals between the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens. The series is tied at 1 after Montreal won game 2 by the skin of their teeth 3-2. The big story for this game is obviously my 5-0 record so far in the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals. Or more likely that Dominique Ducharme will not be coaching tonight due to testing positive for COVID-19. Luke Richardson will take over behind the bench similar to Montreal during last year's playoffs. During the bubble in Toronto Head Coach, Claude Julien had to be removed due to a heart issue and Kirk Muller took over. The Habs responded with a 5-0 win over Philadelphia. In this game with Vegas being -170 favourites, I think it's justified and I'll go with the Golden Knights to win this won and reclaim the home-ice advantage. Record: 42-29

Tampa Bay -140 at NY Islanders Tonight is Game 3 of the first Stanley Cup Semi-Final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders. The series is tied at 1 after the Bolts won Game 2 4-2. Although I have believed and put my fandom behind the Islanders I'm going with Tampa Bay to win this game. If I lose my 4-0 record betting the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals against the Isles and on the Bolts (who I picked to go to the Stanley cup final on my bracket) it will at least a double loss and I will have to sit in shame. By no means have I lost faith in Barry Trotz and his New York team but there's something different about the momentum Tampa Bay has.  Record: 41-29

Montreal at Vegas -265 Tonight is Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas is up 1-0 in the series after a 4-1 victory in a Game 1 victory. This is a series where everyone is already sending Vegas to their 2nd Stanley Cup Final appearance in 4 years. While I do agree Vegas took over in the 2nd and 3rd period Montreal was in that game in the 1st period and had a chance to come back. They made it here for a reason and now they're even bigger underdogs in Game 2. They overcame that crowd in Vegas and kept the score a lot closer than it looked. I'm saying all this to put my neck on the line and the 3-0 record so far in these Stanley Cup Semi-Finals but I'm taking Montreal to win this game as major underdogs and put my faith in a young Canadiens team and Carey Price.  Record: 40-29 

NY Islanders at Tampa Bay -200 Tonight is Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Semi-Final between the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning. The Islanders lead 1-0 in the series after a 2-1 win on Sunday led by a 30 save performance from Semyon Varlamov. Although the final score was only 2-1 this game was full of chances and good end-to-end action as the Islanders had to play a Lightning style of game. It was only a few turnovers that made the difference as the Islanders led in that category 7-1. The Lightning is -200 favourites to get a split at home and I think they will do so. I know I've been all over the Islanders bandwagon these playoffs but the Lightning played their worst game of these playoffs and still only lost by one. This is the best-case scenario of this series that Tampa will have to chase New York for the right to play for Lord Stanley. Record: 39-29

Montreal at Vegas -255 Tonight is Game 1 of the second Stanley Cup Semi-Final between the Montreal Canadiens and Vegas Golden Knights. Montreal was the 4 seed in the North Division coming back from a 3-1 deficit against Toronto and swept the Winnipeg Jets to advance to this point. Vegas beat Minnesota in a 7 game slugfest in the 1st round and after losing the first two games against Colorado they won 4 straight to advance to the Final Four. There are many subplots to this series the biggest one for me has to be Marc-Andre Fleury vs Carey Price with the opportunity for two veteran Canadian Goaltenders to advance for a chance to play for Lord Stanley's Mug. Another subplot has to be Nick Suzuki vs Max Pacioretty. Back in September 2018, Vegas acquired Pacioretty for Suzuki, Tomas Tatar, and a 2019 Second Round Pick that will not have an impact on this series. A big question mark for Montreal has to be Jeff Petry who missed Game 4 against Winnipeg after dislocating two fingers in Game...

NY Islanders at Tampa Bay -200 Today is Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals between the New York Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning. This is a rematch of the Eastern Conference Final of last year in the Edmonton Bubble. The Islanders were the 4th seed in the East Division in the playoffs beating the 1 seed Penguins and 3 seed Bruins to earn their way into the Final Four (which we better not keep calling this next year). The Lightning was the 3 seed in the Central after a rough end to the regular season but regained their form from the 2020 playoffs and Nikita Kucherov beating the 2 seed Florida Panthers and 1 seed Carolina Hurricanes. Both these teams have been rounding into top form during the first and second-round series'. Now we have contrasting styles facing off once again and they might be more prepared than last year. Although the Lightning is the favourites in this game and series, I'm going with the Islanders to catch Tampa off guard and win game 1. This series has st...

Colorado at Vegas -130 Tonight is Game 6 of the Honda West Division Final between the Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights. The Golden Knights have a chance to end the series at home and move on to the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals to face the Montreal Canadiens. The Avs have lost 3 straight games in the series after starting the playoffs on a 6 game winning streak. Even though Vegas has all the momentum, I'm going with Colorado to win and send this series the distance. Record: 37-28

Boston -135 at NY Islanders Tonight is Game 6 of the MassMutual East Division Finals between the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders from the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island. The Islanders hold the 3-2 advantage and the opportunity at home to clinch the series and move on to the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals where they would face the Tampa Bay Lightning. Every ounce of logic in my head tells me that Boston will win this game and force a Game 7 as the teams have been so even all series. But the Islanders don't like to follow logic or play offence most of the time. I really do think this New York team has taken a step forward in terms of style even without Captain Anders Lee. If there is a Game 7 and I'm wrong it wouldn't shock me but I'm going with the New York Islanders to take this game and get their rematch with Tampa Bay in front of fans at home instead of a bubble in Edmonton. Record: 36-28