Canadiens vs. Penguins: NHL Betting Odds, Prediction

The schedule makers didn’t do any favours for Carey Price and the Montreal Canadiens. Three nights after losing in overtime to the preseason Stanley Cup favourites, the Habs visit Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

NHL Betting Odds and Analysis

The Penguins tied for the third-highest scoring side in the NHL a season ago at 3.29 goals per game. Pittsburgh did little to change bettors’ opinion of the squad after its season-opening win over the Washington Capitals. The Pens found the back of the net seven times and allowed six.

Pittsburgh’s odds to win the Stanley Cup are +1200 at Sports Interaction’s NHL futures book. Only the Toronto Maple Leafs (+600), Tampa Bay Lightning (+800), Winnipeg Jets (+900), Nashville Predators (+1000), Boston Bruins (+1000) and San Jose Sharks (+1000) have shorter odds to win the Cup.

Pittsburgh scored five times in each of its three matchups against the Canadiens last season. The Over went 3-0 in those three games and 47-33-2 in the Pens’ 82 regular season games.

Montreal was the worst bet in the NHL during the 2017-18 campaign. A $100 bettor would have been down $2526 if they backed the Habs in all their games last season. The Under went 42-37-3 for Montreal games a year ago and it cashed again when the Habs and Leafs combined for five goals on Wednesday night.

Montreal Canadiens

It was an offseason of upheaval for Les Habitants. Team captain Max Pacioretty was shipped to Las Vegas for Tomas Tatar and Nick Nuzuki, and Alex Galchenyuk was traded to the Coyotes in exchange for Max Domi.

Domi didn’t waste any time making headlines with his new hockey club. He was suspended for a good chunk of the preseason after sucker-punching Florida Panthers defenceman Aaron Ekblad in an exhibition game. The Habs will need Domi to light the lamp often. Only Arizona and Buffalo scored fewer goals than Montreal last season.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pens’ offensive firepower was on full display Thursday night against the Washington Capitals, but it was the play of a Pittsburgh defenceman that was the big storyline. Former All-Star Kris Letang played 79 games a year ago but he still finished a -9 on the season.

There were whispers the blue-liner wouldn’t be able to return to top form because of the neck injury that kept him out for half the 2016-17 campaign. That may be true, but Letang looked like his old self on Thursday night. He had a helper and two goals – including the game-winner – against Washington.

Canadiens at Penguins Prediction

Penguins 4-Canadiens 2