Lightning vs. Canadiens NHL Predictions, Picks and Odds - April 9

The Tampa Bay Lightning (48-24-6) will visit the Montreal Canadiens (46-22-10) on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET, in a matchup featuring two of the top clubs in the Eastern Conference. The sportsbooks have made the Lightning solid favorites at -122 on the moneyline, despite being the visitors, and the Canadiens are at +102.

Tampa Bay suffered a 6-2 loss on the road its last time out on April 7 against the Ottawa Senators. Nicholas Paul (one goal and one assist) and Corey Perry (one goal and one assist) each had two points for the Lightning.

Montreal got a 4-3 home victory over the Florida Panthers on April 7 in its last game, winning the shootout 2-0. Juraj Slafkovsky led the Canadiens with two points (two assists) in that outing.

To prepare for this matchup, here is who we project to secure the win in Thursday's hockey contest.

Lightning vs. Canadiens Predictions & Pick

For the upcoming contest between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens, computer-derived moneyline, over/under, and score predictions are below, based on data from Dunkel Index.

• Prediction: Canadiens 4 - Lightning 3
• Pick OU: Over 6.5 (Dunkel projecting 7.08 goals)
  

Pick with the best in the business! Get free picks for every game, every week at the Dunkel Index.

Lightning vs. Canadiens Moneylines

Take a peek below at the latest moneylines for the Lightning-Canadiens game.

• Favorite: Lightning (-122)
• Underdog: Canadiens (+102)

Lightning Betting Insights

• The Lightning have gone 40-25 this season when listed as a moneyline favorite.
• Tampa Bay is 37-24 (winning 60.7% of its games) when playing with moneyline odds of -122 or shorter.
• The Lightning have a 55.0% chance (based on the moneyline's implied probability) to win this matchup.
• Tampa Bay's 77 matches this season have finished above this game's total of 6.5 goals 37 times.

Canadiens Betting Insights

• The Canadiens have won 23, or 62.2%, of the 37 games they have played as an underdog this season.
• This season Montreal has won 17 of its 27 games, or 63.0%, when it's the underdog by at least +102 on the moneyline.
• The implied probability of a win by the Canadiens, based on the moneyline, is 49.5%.
• Montreal's games this season have had over 6.5 goals 43 of 76 times.

Lightning Key Stats

• Tampa Bay's 277 total goals (3.6 per game) rank second in the league.
• The Lightning have allowed 219 total goals (2.8 per game), ranking third in NHL action for the fewest goals against.
• Its goal differential (+58) makes the team second-best in the league.
• The 50 power-play goals the Lightning have put up this season (on 237 power-play chances) rank 15th in the NHL.
• Tampa Bay ranks 14th in the league with a 21.1% power-play conversion rate.
• The Lightning have scored six shorthanded goals this season.
• Tampa Bay kills 81.97% of opponent power plays, the sixth-best penalty-kill percentage in the league.
• Tampa Bay wins 47.5% of its faceoffs to rank 28th in the NHL.
• The Lightning have a 12.6% shooting percentage as a team, which ranks third in the league.

Canadiens Key Stats

• Montreal's 269 goals on the season (3.4 per game) rank seventh in the league.
• The Canadiens have allowed 240 total goals this season (3.1 per game), 19th in the league.
• With a goal differential of +29, the team is ninth-best in the league in that category.
• The Canadiens have 54 power-play goals (on 226 chances), eighth in the NHL.
• Montreal's power-play percentage (23.89) puts the team eighth in the league.
• This season, the Canadiens have seven shorthanded goals (ninth in NHL).
• At 77.64%, Montreal has the 22nd-ranked penalty-kill percentage in the league.
• At 51%, Montreal has the league's 10th-best faceoff win percentage.
• The 13.1% shooting percentage of the Canadiens tops the league.