Montreal Canadiens vs. Vancouver Canucks Prediction, NHL Odds
The Canucks picked up a win in a mistake-filled 6-5 shootout win on Wednesday. This is a big series for Vancouver, as only two points separates them from the division leading Canadiens.
Montreal is a slim favourite on the NHL odds with a total of 6.5 goals.
Canadiens vs. Canucks 1/21/21 Betting Analysis
Wednesday was just the second loss for the Canadiens in their last 10 games against Vancouver. The Habs have split the over/under this season, hitting the over twice in four games, but they have been better at covering, going 3-1 against the spread.
Vancouver’s defence has been struggling to click this season, and it shows. The Canucks have hit the over in four of their five games and are 2-3 ATS, covering once at home and once on the road.
Montreal Canadiens
Despite a Tyler Toffoli hat trick and Brendan Gallagher picking up his first goal of the year, the Habs didn’t do enough to help Carey Price earn his 350th career win. Price made 23 saves, but a lack of discipline and poor penalty kill performance hurt Montreal in the long run. Coming into Wednesday, the Habs had killed off 10 straight penalties over two games against an Oilers team that had the NHL’s best power play last season, but Montreal took six minor penalties against Vancouver and allowed the Canucks to score their first three power play goals of the season.
Toffoli, who spent the end of last season with Vancouver after being acquired from the Kings at the trade deadline, has been a big pickup for Montreal and is playing at a point-per-game pace to start the season, along with Tomas Tatar, Shea Weber and Nick Suzuki. Defenceman Jeff Petry leads the Habs with six points (2G, 4A) over the first four games. Montreal will likely turn to Jake Allen in net for the second game of this back-to-back. In his only start of the year Allen made 25 saves on 26 shots in Montreal’s 3-1 win over the Oilers on Monday.
Vancouver Canucks
It was a sloppy, messy, affair defensively, but the Canucks picked up a badly needed shootout win to snap a three game skid. After going 0-for-15 on the power play through their season opening four game road trip, the Canucks finally converted with three goals on the man advantage. Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat both broke out with two goals and an assist each (Horvat also had the shootout winner), while J.T. Miller picked up three assists and Braden Holtby made 31 saves, including six in overtime.
The big concern for Vancouver now, is the health of their defence. Blueliners Alex Edler and Travis Hamonic both left the game with undisclosed injuries and with just 24 hours between start times, it seems unlikely they would be good to go on Thursday. While second year defenceman Quinn Hughes has five assists in five games and picked up right where he left off last season, forward Elias Pettersson has looked lost offensively, only managing a single assist on the season and he has failed to register a point in four straight games. With a banged up Canucks blueline, Vancouver will need a lot more from its offence, particularly Pettersson.
Brock Boeser scored on the power play for the first of his two goals on Wednesday. Vancouver finished with three goals on six power play opportunities, after coming into the game 0-for-15 on the man advantage this season.
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