How To Cheer On The Bolts As They Take On The Canadiens In Game 4

TAMPA, FL — Monday's match-up in the best-of-seven series between the Lightning and the Canadiens at Bell Centre in Montreal could be the deciding game in the Stanley Cup Finals.

After winning against the Canadiens in the first three games of the finals, a win by the Bolts Monday night would give them the championship for the second straight year.

If the Bolts lose, the two teams will continue to battle it out in Game 5 at Amalie Arena.

While she won't go so far as to root for the Canadiens to win, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor admitted that she wouldn't be disappointed if the finals proceed to a fifth game in Tampa Wednesday, allowing the Lightning win the Stanley Cup on their home turf.

“What we would like is for the Lightning to take it a little bit easy, to give the Canadiens just the smallest break, allow them to win one at home, and then bring it back to Amalie Arena for the final and the winning of the Stanley Cup,” Castor said Sunday. “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but (the Lightning) are playing some amazing hockey.”

However, the Bolts are intent on winning Monday night's game and becoming the second team in the 21st century and the seventh franchise since the National Hockey League expanded in 1967-68 to win back-to-back championships. The Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup in both 2016 and 2017.

"I think for us, we've been in this position before," said Lightning captain Steven Stamkos. "We understand the magnitude of the game and we understand that we really are, as much as it's cliché to say, we're focused on the start of next game. All those other things work themselves out. You never know what's going to happen in the course of a game or a series."

"Don't look too far ahead. Focus on the today. Tomorrow we can focus on tomorrow," Lightning's Yanni Gourde said. "Don't look too far ahead and don't be too high or too low. Just stay in the middle."

"We've said it from whether it's the First Round or the Stanley Cup Final, the fourth game is always the hardest to win," Coach Jon Cooper said Sunday. "And that's the mentality we've had. Sometimes it takes four games. Sometimes seven. We expect that this group is going to be ready to play, and we expect that their group is going to be ready to play. No games are easy at this time of the year."

How To Watch Tonight's Game

The Bolts will play in Montreal starting at 8 p.m.

For fans, the next best thing to being there is the Bud Light away game watch parties in the Amalie Arena featuring live entertainment, appearances by Lightning mascot ThunderBug and other Lightning personalities, giveaways and concession specials.

Tickets are $10 with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Lightning Foundation Charities. Pods of one to six people are available. Doors open 75 minutes before the scheduled puck drop.

Or fans can catch the game from home livestreamed on NHL NBC Sports, on the NHL Network and on NBCUniversal cable networks (NBCSN, USA Network and CNBC).

You can also down the NBC mobile sports apps here.

See related stories:

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• Lightning Head Into Final Game Of Stanley Cup
• Lightning To Play Game 7 Friday After Losing To Islanders 2-3
• Lightning Strikes Twice As Bolts Head To Stanley Cup Semifinals
• Lightning Add Capacity, Release More Tickets To Sunday's Game
• How To Cheer On The Bolts As They Head To Montreal For Game 3