The highly anticipated Stanley Cup Final has arrived, and avid hockey enthusiasts are eagerly preparing for the grand event. Numerous options for placing bets on the series are available at West Virginia sportsbooks, catering to the passionate fans residing in the beautiful Mountain State.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have returned to a familiar spot, while the Montreal Canadiens are impressively surging through the playoffs.
After concluding the regular season with a total of 59 points, the team secured the fourth place in the North Division. Nevertheless, the Canadiens faced a challenging situation in the opening round against Toronto, trailing behind with a 3-1 series deficit. Despite this setback, the team has displayed exceptional performance, winning 11 out of 13 subsequent matches.
After an impressive comeback, Montreal defeated the Leafs, swept Winnipeg, and then triumphed over the heavily favored Las Vegas in the semifinals.
Is it still appropriate to consider it an underdog, despite its previous underdog status a month ago?
Tampa Bay has returned for its second consecutive championship, although the journey hasn’t been as smooth this time. The Lightning had to go through six games against Florida, five against Carolina, and ultimately seven games to secure their spot in the final against New York.
In Friday’s Game 7, Yanni Gourde, the center for the Lightning, secured the sole goal of the match, allowing his team to narrowly defeat the Islanders.
In this analysis, we will delve into the Canadiens versus Lightning matchup, while also examining how online sportsbooks in WV established the odds for the 2021 finals.
2021 Stanley Cup betting odds at WV sportsbooks
Lightning-Canadiens betting preview
Given that the Lightning have brought back most of their team from the previous year, it comes as no surprise that they were considered as one of the top contenders to win the championship once more.
Tampa enters the Stanley Cup Final as a strong favorite, according to DraftKings Sportsbook WV. The online sportsbook lists the Lightning at -286 for winning the series, while Montreal stands at +240.
While it is widely believed that the Canadiens are underdogs, their recent performance suggests otherwise, with favorable odds in their favor.
The Canadiens’ remarkable performance in recent weeks owes much to goalie Carey Price, who has played a crucial role. Price has been the starting goaltender for every game, consistently carrying the team on his shoulders.
Price has an impressive postseason record of 12 wins and 5 losses, accompanied by an outstanding 2.02 goals against average. Additionally, he has successfully blocked over 93% of the shots taken by his opponents.
Despite the Golden Knights’ strong offensive capabilities, they struggled to generate much against Price. Throughout the series, Price only allowed two goals or fewer in each game after the opening match.
In order to halt Tampa Bay, Montreal will rely on him to bring his A-game once more during the Stanley Cup.
For the most part, the Lightning struggled to break through the Isles’ defense, but their formidable attack managed to showcase its strength on several occasions. In Game 5, they impressively scored eight goals, marking the fifth instance in these playoffs where they have netted at least five goals.
However, Tampa’s goaltending is incredibly strong as well.
In the crucial fifth and seventh games, Andrei Vasilevskiy delivered two remarkable shutouts against New York. His performance closely mirrors Price’s, boasting an impressive 12-6 record, a stellar 1.99 GAA, and a save percentage consistently above 93%.
When it comes to scoring leaders, both teams will depend on their top lines to put points on the board.
Nikita Kucherov of Tampa takes the lead in postseason points with 27, closely followed by Brayden Point with 20.
For offensive firepower, Montreal relies on the duo of right winger Tyler Toffoli and center Nick Suzuki. Toffoli has accumulated an impressive 14 points in the playoffs so far, closely followed by Suzuki with 13.
Stanley Cup Final odds and props
According to the WV sportsbooks, Tampa is listed as the favored team for their first game on home ice. The game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. EST on Monday night and will be broadcasted on NBCSN.
As per FanDuel WV, the odds for the Lightning to win the first matchup are -198, while Montreal has a posted odds of +166. At present, the online sportsbook has set the game’s total at 5.5 goals.
In addition to placing bets on individual matches, bettors in the state have access to a wide array of various prop bets.
The total number of games played in the entire series can be wagered on FanDuel, offering the following odds:
- Four games +500
- Five games +240
- Six games +220
- Seven games +230
The operator provides the option to place bets on a dual market, which encompasses both the result of Game 1 and the eventual winner of the series. The following options are available for selection:
- The Lightning Game 1 or Lightning series is favored at -130.
- The Canadiens Game 1 against the Lightning series has odds of +380.
- The odds for the Canadiens winning Game 1 and the Canadiens winning the series are +450.
- The Canadiens series in Lighting Game 1 has odds of +700.
Additionally, bettors have the option to explore player prop markets where they can wager on the player they believe will be crowned the Most Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup, receiving the prestigious Conn Smythe Trophy.
The players listed below are favored by FanDuel to win the trophy:
- Andrei Vasilevskiy +200
- Carey Price +220
- Brayden Point +380
- Nikita Kucherov +400
- Steven Stamkos +1500
- Victor Hedman +2600
- Mikhail Sergachev +4800
- Ryan McDonagh +4800
If you think Montreal has a strong chance in this series, it might be worth considering placing a bet on one of its skaters in this market. While Price is the more probable choice to win at +220, there are several other valuable contributors, such as Ben Chiarot and Brendan Gallagher, who have favorable odds at +6000.
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