Closeout time has arrived in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the pressure to avoid a Game 7 is squarely on Montreal, Buffalo and Vegas.

The Canadiens lead the best-of 7 Eastern Conference First Round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 following a 3-2 win at Benchmark International Arena on Wednesday. Montreal can advance to the second round with a win in Game 6 at home on Friday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN2, The Spot).

After losing Games 2 and 3, the Golden Knights have rebounded with back-to-back wins and a chance to close out the series on Friday. Utah will have home-ice advantage in Game 6 as it looks to extend the series. Every game between the Canadiens and Lightning has been a nailbiter up to this point, and Wednesday was no different.

The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are underway, and the bracket already shows how tight the race is in both conferences. In the West, the Colorado Avalanche have already moved past the Los Angeles Kings,

Canadiens have a great offensive team but they have a difficult path through the playoffs and their goaltending is a major issue

The Minnesota Wild face the Dallas Stars in Game 6 of the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs today and here’s how to watch.