Spittin' Chiclets Stanley Cup Final Preview & Predictions Feat. Murls

TAMPA BAY (-275) vs. MONTREAL (+225) - The Champs vs. The BurgerVan Series

The champs are here…Tampa is back in the Stanley Cup Final again after taking care of the Islanders in an amazing seven-game series. Tampa going for back-to-back championships is a rare feat in any sport. This team has the makeup to beat any team under any circumstance. Jon Cooper’s handling of this team really is something. The team has everything! A Vezina Trophy-level goalie who may or may not be getting The Gas imported from the motherland to a defenseman that is arguably the best in the league. The forward lines are well balanced and every line can score, hit, and be sound defensively. But the biggest factor that still holds true is they know what the stage is like. I also want to see how this parade will surpass the Bucs parade on the water. Conn Smythe will be Point with his ridiculous stats throughout the playoffs and I do not see him slowing down in this series.

Here we are again writing about how the Montreal Canadiens shocked the hockey world and made most of us here at Spittin' Chiclets look like fools for picking against them. It’s official that this is a team of destiny and it took a lot of money for us to finally realize this. I know RA has been on them since the beginning and that was mainly a troll maneuver, but lately he's been on them so he can make a trip to Montreal to visit the gentlemen’s club he frequented in his late teens and 20’s so that doesn’t really count. Of course, Carey Price and the terrific team defense they play is why they are here but let's talk about Goal Caulfield. This kid comes out of college after winning the Hobey Baker Award and not only is producing offensively but has injected enthusiasm and true enjoyment into this team since the first game he was in the lineup. You can see the energy on his goal celebrations and the huge smile after the team wins that is contagious and I believe has been a huge factor in creating chemistry that has carried this team to the Stanley Cup Final. If they want a chance to hoist Lord Stanley in July, Montreal will have to continue this amazing team play and a penalty kill that hasn’t given up a goal in 12 games and has actually scored more than they've given up throughout the playoffs.

Tampa Bay is the class of the league and we are coming off a huge series bet win with them as we hammered them once they were down 0-1 to get amazing odds. Due to the pandemic this season they did not face each other but Tampa has won 8 of the last 10 games against the Habs and we don’t see that changing in this series. Lines will be big so we will have to be creative throughout the series to make one final cash on the NHL for this season.

Key Stats 

Tampa Bay: 12 - 6, 3 OT games #MurleySpecials, Over/Under 6-10-2

Montreal: 12 - 5, 6 OT games #MurleySpecials, Over/Under 4-7-6

Predictions

Murl’s pick: Tampa in 5

RA’s pick: Tampa in 7

Whit’s pick: Tampa in 6

Biz’s pick: Canadiens in 7

Grinnell’s pick: Tampa in 6