Lightning vs. Canadiens Game 7 predictions: Who goes to second round?

Updated May 3, 2026, 6:36 p.m. ETUSA TODAY is providing live updates on Game 7. Follow here:The Tampa Bay Lightning-Montreal Canadiens series has been tightly played. So naturally, it's going to Game 7.Every game has been decided by one goal with four of them going to overtime. No team has won two in a row in the series, with the Lightning pulling out a 1-0 overtime win in Game 6 to stave off elimination.That sets up a do-or-die game in Tampa on Sunday, May 3 to determine whether the Lightning or the Canadiens advance to face the Buffalo Sabres in the second round of the NHL playoffs.So who will prevail? USA TODAY Sports make its predictions for Game 7 of the Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadiens series:Canadiens vs Lightning predictionsKevin Skiver: Tampa Bay Lightning 2, Montreal Canadiens 1Despite picking the Lightning to win this series, I feel a lot less confident than I previously did. However, we got the Andrei Vasilevskiy goalie-ing of a lifetime in Game 6, and it may well take another in Game 7. Vasilevskiy has allowed one goal on 49 shots in his last two Game 7s after starting his career 0-2 in them. Jakub