Morning Coffee: Who steps up for Habs as series shifts to Tampa for pivotal Game 5?

blueThe best athletes in the world aren’t the best because somebody said they are.

They’re the best because, when the season is on the line and they’re listed as a game-time decision with an injury, they show up, put on a clinic, lead their team to victory, and remind everybody watching what they can do.

That’s exactly what Connor McDavid did last night.

McDavid, who was listed as a “game-time decision” after he missed the morning skate for the Edmonton Oilers due to injury, went out and delivered a performance that has hockey fans around the world believing he can lead his team back from the brink of elimination.

No. 97 registered his third consecutive and 51^st career multi-point playoff performance in Edmonton’s 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks.

McDavid’s 25 career points in potential elimination games is tied with Patrick Kane for the most among active NHL players.

What are the odds the Oilers rally from down 3-1 in the series to advance to the second round?

Edmonton to win the series was slashed from +340 to +180 at FanDuel following the Game 5 win.

The Oilers are a -132 favourite to win Game 6 on Thursday night as the series shifts back to California.

If they can find a way to extend the series once again, Edmonton would be a favourite for Game 7 on home ice.

While the Oilers attempt to fight their way back from down 3-1 in the series, Canada’s other remaining hope at bringing the Stanley Cup back north of the border is set for a massive showdown tonight.

The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning are tied 2-2 entering Game 5 of their best-of-seven.

When a best-of-seven series is tied 2-2, the winner of Game 5 has gone on to advance 79 per cent of the time.

Who will step up and be the hero tonight in Tampa?

Let’s set the stage and lock in a FanDuel Best Bet for Game 5 in this Morning Coffee for Wednesday April 29^th, 2026.

Who Steps Up For Habs As Series Shifts To Tampa For Pivotal Game 5?

It’s easy to forget the Canadiens opened as a 100-to-1 longshot to win the Stanley Cup at FanDuel last summer.

10 months later, Montreal is 20-to-1 to win it all.

The Habs exceeded all expectations when they finished third in the Atlantic Division as a team that was +156 just to make the playoffs at FanDuel.

Now the biggest question heading into Game 5 against the Lightning is how much do they have left in the tank?

On the heels of four straight games decided by one goal, including three that went to overtime, the Canadiens head back to Tampa Bay for the start of a best-of-three.

The Lightning entered the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the favourite to win the Eastern Conference and a massive favourite to advance to win this series at -280.

Montreal, which was +240 to advance, won two of the first three and was 23 minutes away from taking a 3-1 series lead before things fell apart in Game 4.

Max Crozier laid out Juraj Slafkovsky with a massive hit with 2:12 left in the second period.

Jake Guentzel got Tampa Bay on the board with just 54 seconds left in the frame, and Brandon Hagel scored twice in the third period to complete the comeback win.

The kids have carried the Habs to this point with their skill, determination, and a maturity that many hockey fans didn’t expect to see from them this season.

After blowing a 2-0 lead on home ice in Game 4, those young stars will need to overcome a brutal emotional letdown as they head back to the hostile Amalie Arena.

Will fatigue finally settle in for the Canadiens?

If their best players can’t find their spark tonight, they could be in big trouble.

Montreal’s top line of Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki, and 51-goal scorer Cole Caufield have zero points at 5-on-5 so far in this series.

Caufield hasn’t scored a 5-on-5 goal in his last 11 games dating back to the regular season.

The 5-on-5 scoring drought extends even further back for his linemates Slafkovsky and Suzuki.

Josh Anderson is the only skater with multiple 5-on-5 goals for Montreal in this series.

Alexandre Texier, Kirby Dach, and Zachary Bolduc have all scored exactly once at even-strength.

Believe it or not, the Canadiens’ top six forwards have failed to register a single point at 5-on-5 in the series.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay’s top six forwards have combined for 12 points, led by Hagel with 4 goals and 5 points at even-strength.

This series has been tied or within one goal for all but five minutes and 37 seconds – or 98 per cent of the time.

It’s somewhat surprising that this series has been so competitive despite a lack of production from Montreal’s best forwards.

Caufield scored his first goal of the series on the powerplay in Game 4.

However, the Habs went 1-for-6 with the man-advantage in the 3-2 loss.

With the series now a best-of-three, who steps up for the Canadiens in a critical Game 5 on the road?

Suzuki led Montreal with three shots on goal on nine attempts in Game 4 but is still looking for his first goal of the series.

Suzuki anytime goal is up to +250 at FanDuel.

Ivan Demidov hit the net once on five shot attempts in Game 4 and has been held without a point in three straight games since he recorded an assist in Game 1.

Demidov to register 1+ point tonight is +100 at FanDuel.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens’ most consistent player so far in this series is -160 to record 1+ point and +750 to score a goal at FanDuel.

Hutson is tied with Suzuki and Caufield for the team lead with four points in as many games.

Hutson scored in Montreal’s last game in Tampa Bay, then netted the overtime winner in a Game 4 win at home.

If you follow me on X @Domenic_Padula, then you know I’ve been hoping that Hutson would shoot more.

Hutson’s six shot attempts in Game 4 were the second-most on the team behind Suzuki (9), but he registered just one shot on goal, failing to hit 2+ for the first time in the series.

With head coach Martin St. Louis calling on his team to simplify their game and find a way to get more pucks on net, I’m willing to roll the dice on Hutson 2+ shots on goal again at -106 at FanDuel.

I’ll also throw some coffee money on Hutson 3+ shots on goal at +300 and Hutson anytime goal at +750.

The Canadiens are desperate for offence at 5-on-5.

Perhaps we see their best player in the series jump into the rush a little more often and find a way to get some more pucks on net in Game 5.

I’ll also play a builder Same Game Parlay with Suzuki to record 1+ point and 2+ shots on goal at -106 at FanDuel and throw some coffee money on Suzuki goal at +250.

As for the Lightning, nobody is wondering who needs to step up for them in a critical Game 5 tonight.

Hagel has scored in every game in the series and has the shortest odds of any player to score tonight at +140 odds.

For my FanDuel Best Bet, I’ll lock in a builder SGP with Hagel and Jake Guentzel to both record 1+ point at -105.

Hagel has been the star of the series for Tampa Bay with six goals, seven points, and a plus-six rating.

Guentzel has flown under the radar a little bit despite being tied for the team lead with seven points.

Both players should play big minutes at even-strength and on the powerplay as the Lightning continue to lean heavily on their biggest stars.

Who steps up as the hero for Game 5 in Tampa Bay?

Hopefully, we can sweep the board with these plays, regardless of who ends up coming out on top.

Have a great day, everyone!