Canadiens Looking to Regroup
The pandemic forced a lot of leagues to be creative, and the NHL was able to make a unique situation for the Montreal Canadiens two years ago.
Playing in an all-Canadian division to help work with travel restrictions, Montreal finished in fourth place and defied NHL futures odds by making a run to the Stanley Cup Final before being dropped by Atlantic Division rival Tampa Bay.
Hosting the Nashville Predators on Thursday night provides Montreal with a chance to grab some momentum against a surging team.
The Predators are 6-2-2 over their past 10 games and have moved within three points of the second wild card in the Western Conference. Nashville won’t want to pass up an opportunity to beat a struggling team on the road.
Let’s check the latest NHL odds, stats, injury reports, and NHL lines for Predators vs Canadiens. We’ve plenty of NHL betting odds for you to consider.
Nashville is happy to play at a slow pace
The Nashville Predators aren’t a team that is going to stand out on the scoresheet when it comes to scores and odds.
The Predators are only averaging 2.8 goals per game, which is ranked 27th. Nashville’s power play is pretty woeful as well. The Predators only convert 17 percent of their power plays, which ranks 28th in the league.
Nashville has seen the total go under the number in the past three games. The total has gone under in 23 of the Predators’ 40 games.
The Predators are 20-20 against the puck line this season. Filip Fosberg leads Nashville’s offense by scoring 17 goals to go along with 37 points.
Nashville has four players who have scored 10 goals or more. Predators goalie Juuse Saros leads the team with a 15-11-5 record and has a 2.65 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage.
Montreal Needs to Find Balance
As if Montreal wasn’t thin enough already, the Canadiens found out that forward Brendan Gallagher will have to miss six weeks with a lower-body injury.
Montreal needs all the help it can get, as its offense has struggled mightily to get pucks on the net, let alone in the net. The Canadians have scored 2.6 goals per game, which ranks 29th in the league.
Montreal has the worst power play in the league, scoring 14.7 percent of its opportunities. The Canadiens have also generated 27.9 shots on the net, which ranks 30th in the league.
When it comes to Las Vegas NHL odds, not many believe Montreal is capable of turning things around. The Canadiens have lost seven of their past 10 games.
Jake Allen is 10-16-1 with a .892 save percentage on the net.
Predators vs Canadiens Game Injuries
Predators vs Canadiens Head-to-Head
Nashville has been good against the Montreal Canadiens since the Predators came into the league. The Predators lead the all-time series 16-7-1-6.
The Predators beat Montreal 6-3 on Jan. 3 in Nashville. Nashville split a pair of meetings with Montreal last season.
Predators vs Canadiens Game Information
- Game: Predators (19-15-6) vs Canadiens (16-22-3)
- Location: Bell Centre, Montreal
- Day/Time: Thursday, Jan. 12th, 7 p.m.
- Predators vs Canadiens Live Stream: NHL.TV
Predators vs Canadiens Betting Lines
Predators vs Canadiens Picks & Prediction
Montreal hasn’t been playing good hockey recently. While the Canadiens aren’t likely to climb up the NHL standings to challenge for a playoff spot, they can still be a tough out for teams that aren’t prepared to play them.
While Nashville does have recent success against Montreal this season, the Predators may be due for some regression. The Canadiens will win a low-scoring affair.
Nashville is listed at -155 in our Vegas Lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Predators, you have a chance to win $65. Montreal is +135, offering a chance to win $135.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Predators a 60.78% chance to win, with the Canadiens at 42.55%.
Predators vs Canadiens Trends
Predators vs Canadiens Edge
Predators vs Canadiens Results
Predators vs Canadiens Game Summary
