We are down to the final four in the 2021 NHL season. And the Conference Finals are neck-and-neck after four games. Who will progress to the Stanley Cup from here?
Vegas Golden Knights vs Montreal Canadiens
The Vegas Golden Knights levelled the series on Sunday night with an overtime victory to leave the score tied at 2-2 in a nail-biting semi-final.
Peter DeBoer’s side are looking to reach the Stanley Cup for the second time in their four-year history and headed into the series as the clear favourites. They still are with the bookmakers and BetMGM Iowa also have them as the favourites to win the Stanley Cup next month.
Montreal are at the other end of the odds as the 7/1 outsiders. The Canadian side have been outsiders all season with very few expecting them to reach this stage, let alone tying the series after four games.
Nicolas Roy scored 1:18 into overtime on Sunday night to earn the Golden Knights their second victory, having lost in similar circumstances two days earlier.
In only the first game of the series did either side win by more than one goal. That’s when Vegas ran out convincing 4-1 victors, the only time in the series so far where the match has lived up to expectation.
Montreal are certainly giving it a good go, even with coach Dominique Ducharme connecting with his players via Zoom.
Winger Josh Anderson scored the surprise overtime winner in game 3 to give the Canadiens a temporary lead in the series.
Game 5 is at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada on Tuesday night. We predict the Vegas Golden Knights to progress to the Stanley Cup in six games.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Islanders
No team had dropped fewer games than the defending champions to reach the semi-finals. Tampa Bay Lightning eased through the first round with a 4-2 victory over the Florida Panthers, then 4-1 over the Carolina Hurricanes in the previous round.
The New York Islanders headed into the playoffs in good form and they have taken that with them to this point.
Semyon Varalamov #40 of the New York Islanders takes a puck to the mask
Barry Trotz’s side took the opening game of the series with a 2-1 win a week ago. They then dropped two straight to Tampa Bay, with the first of those being the only tie that has been decided by more than one goal – 4-2.
New York then tied the series on Saturday night.
Can the Lightning repeat last season’s success? Although they are the bookmakers’ favourites to progress from this tie they are second to Vegas in the odds to lift the trophy.
They have been matched by the Islanders in this tie so far and will need to be at their very best in the remainder of the series if they want to reach the final two.
Game 5 is on Monday night at the Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay. We predicted the New York Islanders to progress in seven games.
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