Price, Point have leg up for Smythe

If the Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1993, Carey Price is almost certain to take home the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Game 1 of the Finals was Monday night at Tampa Bay.

Price also stands a good chance at becoming the fifth goaltender and sixth player overall to win it with the runner-up if the Tampa Bay Lightning earns back-to-back titles.

To do that, “You pretty well have to stand out,” said Reggie Leach, the only forward on a losing team to win the Conn Smythe.

Leach’s exploits came when the defending champion Philadelphia Flyers were swept by Montreal in the 1976 final. He scored 19 goals in 16 playoff games that year, still tied for the record.

For now. Brayden Point is the playoff MVP front-runner if the Lightning wins, thanks to his 14 goals through 18 games. Point rode a nine-game goal streak that ended in the semifinal series finale against the New York Islanders and is now hoping to start another run.

“Pucks have found ways into the net as of late, but I don’t think you’re thinking too much about it,”

Point said.

It’s Price’s job and Andrei Vasilevskiy’s at the other end of the ice to keep those chances from turning into goals. While Price gets the lion’s share of the credit for Montreal’s run with a 2.02 goals-against average and .934 save percentage, Vasilevskiy has a 1.99 GAA and .936 with four shutouts for Tampa Bay, which would make a pretty good Conn Smythe case.

Power play vs. penalty kill: Tampa Bay’s stacked power play that includes Point, Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Alex Killorn and Victor Hedman has scored 20 times in 53 opportunities in the playoffs. Montreal’s penalty kill has allowed only three goals in 46 chances and scored four times shorthanded.

The Canadiens have set the playoff record in going 13 consecutive games without allowing a powerplay goal.