Jake Evans scores with 2:15 remaining as the Canadiens close the gap between the teams in the Atlantic Division.

My Canadiens vs Lightning predictions expect a competitive matchup between the teams, with Patrik Laine continuing to play his best hockey on home ice. Let’s take a closer look with my NHL picks for Tuesday, January 21 ahead of this 7 p.m. ET puck drop.

Third period MTL 3, TBL 2 17:44 Jake Evans (11) - Joel Armia, Alexandre Carrier Jake Evans secured Montreal’s first lead in the game’s closing minutes, sending his one-timer from the left circle into the top half of the Lightning net with just over two minutes remaining.

When Patrik Laine arrived in Montreal, there was a huge wave of positivity surrounding the Canadiens. After all, when a scorer like him lands in town, it changes the game quite a bit. This was evident every time the main interested party touched the puck during training camp.