Defenseman Eric Cernak scored his first goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, deflecting a pass from Ondrej Palat over the glove of goalie Carey Price.
Evans has not played since June 2, when he sustained an injury against the Winnipeg Jets in the second round.
The biggest question as we await puck drop is the status of Montreal forward Joel Armia, who is a game-time decision.
The Canadiens don’t believe they are underdogs, despite finishing with 16 less points than the Lightning, but the numbers and history suggest otherwise, according to columnist Nicholas J.
Lightning forward Steven Stamkos is healthy and involved in these playoffs, which was not the case last season.
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