Key keywords: Lightning vs Canadiens Game 7, 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Tampa Bay Lightning projected lineup, Montreal Canadiens starting goaltender, NHL Game 7 live stream, Amalie Arena playoff game, Eastern Conference First Round Game 7, NHL broadcast info, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Nick Suzuki The 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference First Round has delivered one of the most tightly contested series of the entire postseason, with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens set to face off in a winner-take-all Game 7 at Amalie Arena on Sunday, May 12, with a 7:00 PM ET puck drop. After six games that saw both teams trade home and road wins, the series sits deadlocked at 3-3, with neither side able to gain a lasting edge over the other. For the Tampa Bay Lightning, head coach Jon Cooper has confirmed the projected lineup for the pivotal matchup, with no major changes expected from the group that won Game 6 in Montreal 4-2. The top forward line will feature the elite trio of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and captain Steven Stamkos, who have combined for 22 points through the first six games of the series. The second line will see Brandon Hagel, Anthony Cirelli, and Michael Eyssimont, with Cooper noting that Nick Paul, who missed Game 6 with a lower-body injury, is a game-time decision and will take warmups before a final call is made. On defense, the Lightning will roll with their usual top pair of Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, backed by Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak on the second pair, and Nick Perbix and Zach Bogosian on the third. Reigning Vezina Trophy finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy will get the start in net, as he has for every Lightning playoff game over the past six seasons. For the Montreal Canadiens, head coach Martin St. Louis has also released his projected lineup, with few adjustments from the group that won Games 3 and 5 on home ice. The top line will be led by captain Nick Suzuki, alongside Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson, who have combined for 18 points in the series to date. The second line features Kirby Dach, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Mike Hoffman, while the third and fourth lines will bring additional physicality and defensive stability. On defense, the top pair of Mike Matheson and David Savard will log heavy minutes, with Kaiden Guhle and Joel Edmundson on the second pair, and Jordan Harris and Justin Barron on the third. Sam Montembeault, who has posted a .926 save percentage through the first six games of the series, will get the start in net for the Canadiens. For fans looking to catch the action, the game will be broadcast nationally in the United States on TNT and available for streaming on ESPN+ and fuboTV, which offers a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. In Canada, the game will air on Sportsnet for English-language viewers and TVA Sports for French-language viewers, with streaming available on Sportsnet+ and NHL Live. Key storylines to watch include the goaltender matchup between Vasilevskiy and Montembeault, who have both delivered series-saving performances over the past two weeks, as well as the ability of the Canadiens’ young core to perform under the pressure of a road Game 7 against a Lightning franchise that has won four of its last five Game 7 matchups dating back to 2020.