The Montreal Canadiens have overcome the odds every step of the way throughout these playoffs.

Is this the end of the line?

The Tampa Bay Lightning beat Montreal 3-1 in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 series lead.

Teams that go up 2-0 in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup final have produced a 46-5 all-time series record.

The Lightning are 8-0 all-time when leading a best-of-seven series 2-0.

Heading into Game 1, the Canadiens were +220 to win four of seven against Tampa Bay – a 31.3 per cent implied probability.

After falling behind 2-0 in the series, Montreal is +900 to win four of the next five – just a 10 per cent implied probability.

Here is the Morning Coffee for Thursday July 1, 2021.

Lightning take 2-0 lead in Stanley Cup final

There are a couple of different ways to look at last night’s result when it comes to evaluating how the remainder of the Stanley Cup final will play out.

On the one hand, the Canadiens threw everything they had at the Lightning and still came out on the losing side.

On the other hand, the Habs also proved they could skate with Tampa Bay, controlling possession and outshooting them 43-23.

With the series shifting back to Montreal for Games 3 and 4, the Canadiens need to clean up some of the sloppy mistakes that cost them the first two games and reset for a chance to extend this series.

Last change and a small contingent of fans at home should help.

It would help if they could find a way to get that all-important first goal, something they haven’t done so far in this series.

The Lightning are 14-2 when they score first so far in these playoffs.

Finding a way to solve Andrei Vasilevskiy won’t get any easier with Tampa Bay now two wins away from repeating as Stanley Cup champions.

Vasilevskiy, who made 42 saves in the Game 2 win, went from +100 to -225 to win the Conn Smythe Trophy overnight. 

He’s produced a sparking .969 save percentage during Tampa Bay’s current five-game home win streak.

Even if the Habs find a way to win each of their next two games on home ice, they’ll still need to steal one on the road to lift the Stanley Cup.

The Lightning, which are now -1600 to win the series, opened at -140 to win Game 3.

The comeback on the Canadiens is +120.

 

Suns advance to NBA finals

The Phoenix Suns have advanced to the NBA finals.

Chris Paul scored a game-high 41 points as the Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 130-103 in Game 6 of the Western Conference final on Wednesday night to clinch.

Paul, whose 41 points are the second-most in a playoff game by a player at age 36 or older in NBA history, will make his 124th career playoff start in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Phoenix opened at +3000 to win the West.

While we still don’t know who they will play, the Suns are now -200 to win the NBA championship.

Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks are now +320 and +550 respectively to win the NBA title.

That series is down to a best-of-three, with the Bucks currently a two-point favourite for Game 5 tonight.

 

Euro 2020 Quarterfinals Reset

It’s been an unpredictable road to the quarterfinals at Euro 2020.

Only four of the top eight choices advanced to the elite eight, with England, Italy, Belgium and Spain among the remaining contenders.

France, Germany, Portugal and the Netherlands were all eliminated in the Round of 16.

Denmark, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Ukraine are all still alive.

Every single one of those teams was 28-to-1 or longer to win the tournament when Euro 2020 kicked off.

The quarterfinals kick off Friday morning with Switzerland and Spain, followed by Italy and Belgium.

You can catch all of the action on TSN.

Happy Canada Day everyone!

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