TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The Tampa Bay Lightning will have home ice advantage as they set off on the road to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Bolts will face the Montreal Canadiens at Benchmark International Arena in at least two matchups.

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have recalled forwards Mitchell Chaffee and Jakob Pelletier from the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League, Vice President and General Manager Julien BriseBois announced today. In addition, forward Conor Geekie has been reassigned to AHL Syracuse.

Get Tampa Bay vs New York hockey betting preview, spread and over/under insights for their matchup on April 15.

The Tampa Bay Lightning will have home ice in the first round of the playoffs as they face off with the Montreal Canadiens.

The Rangers capped the 2025-26 season with a 4-2 win over a pseudo Lightning team that rested some of their top players for the playoffs ahead.

When the Tampa Bay Lightning host the New York Rangers in their regular-season finale Wednesday, they know a matchup against the Montreal Canadiens is ahead in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Oliver Bjorkstrand and Corey Perry each scored, and Brandon Halverson made 17 saves in his second career NHL start for the Lightning (50-26-6), who will have home ice in the Eastern Conference First Round best-of-7 series against the Montreal Canadiens.

The playoff series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens presents a clear contrast in team profiles. Tampa Bay has advantages in scoring, d