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NHL Stanley Cup Final 2021: Canadiens vs. Lightning Expert Predictions Roundup

The Tampa Bay Lightning enter this year's Stanley Cup Final as the favorites to win the championship. That shouldn't be a surprise. They're the defending champions who have cruised through most of the playoffs to get back to this point for the second year in a row.

The Montreal Canadiens are the underdogs, and it's nothing new for them. The Habs have had a remarkable run, going from a team that barely got into the postseason (they had the fewest regular-season points of the 16 playoff participants) to one of the last two standing.

Even though many think Tampa Bay will win, Montreal continues to defy expectations.