Colorado Avalanche vs. Montreal Canadiens Prediction, NHL Odds
The Canadiens squandered an early lead on their way to Saturday’s 2-1 overtime loss to Edmonton, and have now fallen to defeat in 12 of their past 15 home contests. The Avalanche travel to Montreal after eking out a 4-3 comeback victory in Toronto on Saturday night that marks their seventh victory in eight games and third straight on the road.
The Avalanche are perched as strong -225 road favourites on the Monday NHL odds, and as a short +110 puck line wager to claim victory by a multi-goal margin. The Canadiens trail as +180 underdogs, and the total is listed at 6.5.
Avalanche vs. Canadiens NHL Betting Odds
Wins have come at a premium for the Canadiens since they opened their schedule on a 5-2-1 run. The club has lost 22 of 34 games since, and has particularly struggled during their current home swoon, scoring two or fewer goals in eight of their past 14 on home ice. Now ranked 28th in the league in goals scored per game as the second half of the season gets underway, the Canadiens have managed to keep things close despite seven of nine overall. Each of the games on the Habs’ current 1-1-2 run have been settled by just a single goal despite getting outshot by an average margin of 13.8 shots per game over that stretch.
The Avalanche have regularly filled the net during their current 9-1-1 run, averaging 4.09 goals per game, but despite that impressive production they have needed overtime or a shootout to earn three of their past five victories, and have seen six of their past 12 games settled by just one goal. However, the Avs enjoy an historical advantage over the Canadiens, posting five straight head-to-head victories during which they have limited the Habs to just two goals per game, capped by an 8-4 win when they last visited Montreal on March 13.
Colorado Avalanche
After spotting the Leafs an early 3-0 lead, the Avs stormed back on Saturday night with five unanswered goals to claim the win. Leading scorers Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen powered the attack, each with a goal and an assist. MacKinnon has now piled up 13 points during a seven-game points streak while Rantanen has recorded 11 points over that stretch. Monday also marks the return of Habs prodigal son Jonathan Drouin, who struggled under the weight of high expectations during six seasons in Montreal, but has flourished since being reunited with his former junior linemate MacKinnon. Drouin produced his third two-point night of the month on Saturday, and has scored five goals and compiled eight points in seven games. The lone concern for the Avs right now is an illness making its way around the room, which has sidelined both Valeri Nichushkin and Mike Wood in recent days.
Montreal Canadiens
The Habs can thank netminder Sam Montembeault for salvaging the point for them in Saturday’s loss. Montembeault has been kept busy stopping 116 of 124 shots over his past three starts, but things have not gone so well for Jake Allen. Monday’s expected starter, Allen has surrendered at least four goals in four of his past eight appearances, and has compiled a middling .897 save percentage while going 1-7-0 over his past eight starts. With just five total goals scored during their current three-game slide, and just two even-strength goals over their past eight regulation periods and two OT frames, the Canadiens need more production out of their biggest shooters. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have combined to record just one total goal and three points over the past five games. Juraj Slafkovsky has also struggled while failing to score in nine straight contests, and has recorded just two points in 22 home appearances this season.
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