The Vancouver Canucks look to continue their winning ways when they play host to the Montreal Canadiens from Rogers Arena.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Montreal Canadiens (+168) vs. Vancouver Canucks (-205) Total: 6.5 (O -114, U-106)These two Canadian clubs have already met once this season on November 9, which saw the Habs pick up a 5-2 victory in Montreal. The Canucks will look for revenge tonight, entering as favorites on the moneyline at -205, while the Canadiens are priced at +168.
Vancouver enters this matchup with a 6-4 record over their last ten games, while the Habs have a 5-5 record over that same sample size. Early in the season, the Canadiens have done better than many expected, leading to a 12-11-1 record compared to the Canucks’ 10-12-3.
It’s been a weird season for the Canucks through almost two months, with a complete lack of consistency for a team that had high expectations. Sure, they missed the playoffs, but there was reason to appreciate their second half. Still, it’s hard to get behind an organization with clear flaws.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Canadiens are expected to start Samuel Montembeault, while the Canaucks should counter with Spencer Martin. The Canadiens netminder has a 5-2-1 record with a .924 save percentage, while Martin is 7-2-1 with a .901 save percentage. Even though these goalies are backups, they’ve outperformed their starters.
The Canucks’ inconsistencies make it hard to like their moneyline price. As a result, there’s value with the visitors at +168.
Best Bet: Canadiens moneyline (+168)
Even though the Canadiens have been a middle-of-the-road team to this point, some regression should come in the net. That’s not to say the Habs have a bad tandem in the net, but rather they have an inexperienced defensive core. That will naturally cause more goals and potentially a back-and-forth offensive affair. The Canucks score at the 12th highest rate in the NHL, and there’s value in looking towards the over 6.5 hitting at -114 tonight.
Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-114)
With some injuries to the Canadiens’ forward core, the 2022 first-overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky has been given a chance to play a more offensive role over the last two games, which has seen him post one goal and one assist. It’s not difficult to see goals scored at a high rate, so there’s definite value in the rookie to continue his recent hot streak, priced at an appetizing +430.
Best Prop: Juraj Slafkovsky to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+430)
