Two Canadian teams will square off for the second time in two weeks, with the Calgary Flames visiting the Montreal Canadiens from the Bell Centre.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Calgary Flames (-225) vs. Montreal Canadiens (+184) Total: 6 (O -112, U -108)When the Flames and Habs met on December 1, the Canadiens picked up a 2-1 victory, mainly due to their goaltender standing on his head. The Flames were the better team, but they’ve been mediocre lately, posting a 4-4-2 record over their last ten games. The Canadiens have been somewhat similar over that span, at 5-4-1.
Montreal has played one game at home since returning from their Western Conference road trip and should be more settled after a lackluster performance against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday. Still, there’s a reason that the visiting Flames are sizable favorites on the moneyline at -225, while the Habs are priced at +184.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Flames should turn back to Dan Vladar between the pipes, while the Habs should do the same with Jake Allen. Vladar has been getting a lot of starts recently because of Calgary’s struggles in goa. He has a 5-4-2 record with a .905 save percentage. Allen is listed at 8-10 with a .896 save percentage and was tremendous in goal when these teams last met.
Depending on whichever way the Flames lean in the net, that shouldn’t deter you from siding with Calgary. The Flames were the better team in the first matchup and should be able to take full advantage on the road tonight. As a result, expect them to get some payback and win this matchup by multiple goals, so there’s some value in backing their puck line odds at +116.
Best Bet: Flames puck line -1.5 (+116)
Over the last five Flames games, three have seen six or more goals scored. Looking at the Canadiens over that sample, two of their last five have eclipsed that number. There wasn’t a lot of offense in the first meeting, and that’s unlikely to change in this second go around. Both teams sit in the bottom third in goals scored per game, and neither will be afraid to play a tight-checking style. There’s likely some value in looking towards the under six, which is priced at an appetizing number of -108.
Best Bet: Under six (-108)
The Calgary Flames have some talented players in their forward core, and one that’s been emerging is Nazem Kadri. The Flames center has scored three goals over his last five games to lead the team, tallying 11 goals and ten assists through 28 games. Kadri has more to give in terms of his overall offensive output, which should be more prevalent against the Montreal Canadiens. Kadri is priced at +172 to score, and there’s definite value in that price.
Best Prop: Nazem Kadri to Record Over o.5 Goals (+172)
