The Montreal Canadiens (15-15-5) and Tampa Bay Lightning (17-15-5) will battle for the second time this season on Sunday, December 31 at 7:00 PM ET at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The Canadiens are slightly favored with a puck line at +1.5 (-125).

The Canadiens have lost their last two consecutive games and have gone 2-3 in their last five overall. Their most recent performance was a 4-1 showing against the Florida Panthers.

Nick Suzuki leads all aspects of their offense so far this year. He currently has 31 points, 10 goals, and 22 assists, which makes him a key component to their success.

The Canadiens are averaging 2.74 goals per contest along with 28.7 shots a game. Their power play performances have not been ideal, as they have scored 23 times but have allowed 34 goals in those situations. Their power play percentage comes in at 18.4 and is a bit weaker than the Lightning’s.

They are giving up 3.37 goals per matchup along with 33.3 shots from opposing teams. They also showcase a slightly weaker penalty kill percentage at 71.9.

The Lightning have gone 3-2 over their last five games but have lost their last two coming into this one. Their most recent defeat was a 5-1 showing against the New York Rangers.

Nikita Kucherov leads their offense with 25 goals (2^nd in league), 34 assists (tied for 3^rd), and 59 points (1^st overall). This makes him arguably the best offensive weapon in the league.

The Lightning are putting up 3.24 goals and 30.5 shots each battle. They have accumulated 35 power play goals and have allowed 22 so far. This has resulted in a power play percentage at 29.7 and will likely influence the game in their favor.

They are giving up 3.46 goals per game and 30.8 shots. They also have created a penalty kill percentage at 79.6.

MyBookie has the odds for this game, which shows the Lightning are -120 favorites to win. However, the puck line offers the chance at a better payout and has the Canadiens slightly favored to win the game outright or lose by no more than two goals.

The last time these two teams battled was back in November, where the Lightning won 5-3. This time, the Lightning are competing at home where they are 10-5-3, whereas the Canadiens are 8-6-3 on the road. Overall, this will likely be another close match, so look for the Canadiens to cover the spread for the puck line.