{"id":604422,"date":"2026-04-24T22:08:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T22:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/604422\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T22:08:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T22:08:10","slug":"lightning-vs-canadiens-prediction-picks-odds-for-tonights-nhl-playoffs-game-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/604422\/","title":{"rendered":"Lightning vs Canadiens Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Playoffs Game 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Luc<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Luc LeBlanc<\/a>
\n \u2022 Content Editor<\/p>\n

3+ years betting experience<\/p>\n

\n Updated:
\nApr 24, 2026 , 04:03 PM ET<\/p>\n

\u2022 3 min read<\/p>\n

The Lightning have done a solid job containing Cole Caufield as a scorer, but he continues to make his presence felt in other ways for his team.<\/p>\n

\"Cole<\/p>\n

Photo By – Reuters Connect. Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield (13) reacts after scoring a goal during the second period.<\/p>\n

The Montreal Canadiens return north of the border to host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday, April 24.<\/p>\n

My Canadiens vs. Lightning predictions and NHL picks<\/a> point to another closely contested matchup, with Cole Caufield expected to drive the offense more as a playmaker than relying solely on his usual scoring touch.<\/p>\n

UPDATE: Added prediction for who will win.<\/p>\n

Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3 prediction
\nWho will win Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3?<\/p>\n

Montreal: After splitting the games in Tampa Bay and letting Game 2 slip out of their grasp late in the third, the Habs will return to the Bell Centre and pick up a win. They’re 3-0-2 in their last five against the Lightning.<\/p>\n

Lightning vs Canadiens best bet: Cole Caufield Over 0.5 assists (+130)<\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay Lightning<\/a> have a game plan for Cole Caufield<\/a>, limiting the 51-goal scorer to just three shots through two games.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, Caufield and his overshadowed vision have produced three assists in the meantime. Tampa’s game plan to limit his scoring opportunities has created an abundance of passing options for the winger.<\/p>\n

With Tampa suppressing his scoring opportunities, it’s opened passing lanes and high-danger chances for his linemates (see Juraj Slafkovsky’s<\/a> Game 1 hat trick). At plus odds, I’m banking on a Caufield helper in Game 3.<\/p>\n

Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account \"Add<\/a>Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3 same-game parlay<\/p>\n

Many may be surprised Lane Hutson<\/a> blocked 137 shots in his sophomore season. While his offensive numbers may be better suited for a flashy stat or a viral tweet, he’s stepped up big in his own zone as Noah Dobson remains sidelined.<\/p>\n

Hutson played over 32 minutes in Game 2, blocked two shots, and ranks third in the NHL in blocked shots over the last calendar month. He’s a workhorse at both ends of the ice.<\/p>\n

Both games in this series thus far have needed extra time, and the Montreal Canadiens<\/a> have covered the puck line in five straight against Tampa \u2014 with four of them coming within the last month.<\/p>\n

More convincingly, they’ve covered the PL in 10 of Jakub Dobes’ last 11 starts.<\/p>\n

Lightning vs Canadiens SGP<\/p>\n

Cole Caufield Over 0.5 assists
\nLane Hutson Over 1.5 blocked shots
\nCanadiens +1.5<\/p>\n

Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3 goal scorer pick
\nJosh Anderson (+450)<\/p>\n

Josh Anderson<\/a> has scored in three of his last four playoff games against Tampa, including in both games in this series and dating back to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final.<\/p>\n

He’s scored in three of his last four and had his highest single-game shot total since March 3 in Game 2. I’m all over this at a whopping +450.<\/p>\n

Lightning vs Canadiens odds for Game 3<\/p>\n

Moneyline: Lightning -120 | Canadiens +100
\nPuck Line: Lightning -1.5 (+205) | Canadiens +1.5 (-250)
\nOver\/Under: Over 5.5 (-130) | Under 5.5 (+120)<\/p>\n

Lightning vs Canadiens trend<\/p>\n

Three of the last five meetings between these teams have required extra time, including both playoff games thus far. Find more\u00a0NHL betting trends<\/a> for Lightning vs. Canadiens.<\/p>\n

How to watch Lightning vs Canadiens Game 3<\/p>\n

Location
\nBell Centre, Montreal, QC<\/p>\n

Date
\nFriday, April 24, 2026<\/p>\n

Puck drop
\n7:00 p.m. ET<\/p>\n

TV
\nSportsnet, TNT<\/p>\n

Lightning vs Canadiens latest injuries<\/p>\n

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.<\/p>\n

Pages related to this topic<\/p>\n

\"Luc<\/p>\n

Luc has been passionate about sports since he was a child, playing competitive hockey and staying closely tuned to professional leagues. Today, he brings that same energy to his work as a Content Editor, covering NHL games, player props, and betting trends with a sharp, analytical eye.<\/p>\n

Since 2023, Luc has been writing picks and analysis for various publications, helping readers discover value in several major sports. While hockey is his specialty, he also closely follows tennis, keeping up with both the ATP and WTA Tours.<\/p>\n

A graduate of Saint Mary\u2019s University (BSc, Geography, 2025), Luc approaches sports betting the way he approaches maps and statistics by looking for patterns, trends, and angles that give him an edge. He focuses on research-backed and well-informed picks, spotting correlations, and finding the best opportunities in player props and game markets.<\/p>\n

Read More<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Luc LeBlanc \u2022 Content Editor 3+ years betting experience Updated: Apr 24, 2026 , 04:03 PM ET \u2022…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":604423,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[385,99],"class_list":["post-604422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nhl","tag-nhl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/604422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=604422"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/604422\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/604423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=604422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=604422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=604422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}