The Montreal Canadiens are making a rare appearance in the desert on Monday to take on the Arizona Coyotes.  With just a single win over their last 13 games, the Habs sit last in last place in NHL standings and have been off since a 3-2 overtime loss in Chicago on Thursday.  They ‘Yotes are only one point up on Montreal after being swept in a home-and-home against Colorado, including a 5-0 shutout at home on Saturday.

This game opened as a pick’em on the NHL odds, with a total of 5.5.

Canadiens vs. Coyotes NHL Betting Odds

Montreal has won three of the last four meetings between these teams, although they haven’t played each other since a 3-2 Coyotes win at the Bell Centre on Feb. 10, 2020.  Low scoring has been a consistent trend in this head-to-head with the total going Under in the last four games.

The Canadiens sit in last place in the NHL standings for a reason.  Montreal is riding a five-game losing streak overall and they’ve dropped eight straight on the road.  They’ve also been a terrible cover option, going 14-22 against the spread for the year, including 8-12 ATS on the road.  The total has gone Under in five of Montreal’s last six games against Western Conference opponents.

Arizona is in a familiar position near the bottom of the standings.  The Coyotes have lost 11 of their last 13 games overall and nine of their last 11 at home.  They’re 16-20 ATS overall this season and 7-11 ATS at home.  The total has gone Under in four of the Coyotes’ last five games against Eastern Conference opponents.

Montreal Canadiens

It’s pretty easy to figure out what’s hurting Montreal this year.  They’re dead last in the NHL with 2.08 average goals scored per game and third-last in goals allowed at 3.64.  The Canadiens recorded just three shots in the first period against Chicago, before Jeff Petry and Mike Hoffman finally scored in the second period.  It was Petry’s first goal in 29 games this season.  Sam Montembeault stopped 28 shots.

There’s been a serious lack of offence in Montreal this year.  Nick Suzuki leads the team with just 19 points and no one has scored more than the seven goals Suzuki and Josh Anderson have each recorded.  Only seven Canadiens players have reach double-digit points.  Anderson, who has missed the last 11 games with an upper-body injury, is expected to return to the lineup Monday.

With Jake Allen out of the lineup due to an undisclosed injury and Carey Price still working his way back from off-season knee surgery, Montembeault should get the start again on Monday.  Montembeault is 1-6-3 this season, with a 3.89 goals-against average and .895 save percentage.  Cayden Primeau was called up from the taxi squad to backup Montembeault.

Arizona Coyotes

The Habs aren’t the only team giving up more goals than they score.  Arizona sits second-last in the NHL with 2.14 goals per game and they give up a league-high 3.72 goals.  The Coyotes only managed 20 shots on Saturday against their former goaltender, Darcy Kuemper.  Karel Vejmelka stopped 27 of 32 shots against Colorado.  Clayton Keller leads the team with 13 goals and 27 points.

Arizona has been hammered by COVID recently.  Defencemen Jakob Chychrun, Anton Stralman, Cam Dineen and Kyle Capobianco are all in COVID protocols, along with goaltender Scott Wedgewood and head coach Andre Tourigny.  Only three of the Coyotes’ available defencemen have played at least nine games this season.

Vejmelka (4-14-1, 3.27 GAA, .906 SV) will likely get the start on Monday.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Canadiens vs. Coyotes?

• Regular Season

Canadiens Team Leaders

MON

Points	Nick Suzuki 61
+ / -	Jordan Harris 3
Shots	Cole Caufield 188
Penalty Mins	Michael Pezzetta 81
Wins	Jake Allen 9
GAA	Jake Allen 3.3

ARI

Points	Clayton Keller 63
+ / -	Clayton Keller 3
Shots	Clayton Keller 177
Penalty Mins	Liam O'Brien 106
Wins	Karel Vejmelka 13
GAA	Josef Korenar 2.56

• Regular Season

Coyotes Team Leaders

MON

Points	Nick Suzuki 61
+ / -	Jordan Harris 3
Shots	Cole Caufield 188
Penalty Mins	Michael Pezzetta 81
Wins	Jake Allen 9
GAA	Jake Allen 3.3

ARI

Points	Clayton Keller 63
+ / -	Clayton Keller 3
Shots	Clayton Keller 177
Penalty Mins	Liam O'Brien 106
Wins	Karel Vejmelka 13
GAA	Josef Korenar 2.56

Injuries

Montreal

Carey Price (G)

Prob Fri Knee - 25 / 04 / 22

Joel Armia (RW)

Out indefinitely Personal - 19 / 04 / 22

Paul Byron (LW)

Ques Fri Lower Body - 19 / 04 / 22

Jake Evans (C)

Prob Thurs Undisclosed - 19 / 04 / 22

Michael Pezzetta (LW)

Elig Sat Suspension - 17 / 04 / 22

Jake Allen (G)

out for season Groin - 09 / 04 / 22

Paul Byron (LW)

Prob Mon Undisclosed - 06 / 04 / 22

Justin Barron (D)

out for season Ankle - 06 / 04 / 22

Chris Wideman (D)

Ques Tues Undisclosed - 01 / 04 / 22

Jake Evans (C)

Prob Thurs Upper Body - 30 / 03 / 22

Arizona

Cam Dineen (D)

Ques Wed Undisclosed - 27 / 04 / 22

Vladislav Kolyachonok (D)

out for season Upper Body - 26 / 04 / 22

Andrew Ladd (LW)

Ques Fri Lower Body - 23 / 04 / 22

Jay Beagle (C)

Ques Fri Lower Body - 21 / 04 / 22

Nick Ritchie (LW)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 21 / 04 / 22

Dysin Mayo (D)

Ques Fri Upper Body - 20 / 04 / 22

J.J. Moser (D)

Ques Mon Lower Body - 17 / 04 / 22

Andrew Ladd (LW)

Ques Thurs Hip - 14 / 04 / 22

Barrett Hayton (C)

Ques Thurs Arm - 13 / 04 / 22

Jay Beagle (C)

Prob Thurs Illness - 12 / 04 / 22

Injuries

Montreal

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Carey Price (G)	Prob Fri	Knee - 25 / 04 / 22	1-1	2-0	+ -
Price missed the previous game as he was given a break from travel. It is intended that he will return to the crease Friday versus the Panthers.
Joel Armia (RW)	Out indefinitely	Personal - 19 / 04 / 22	1-5	5-1	+ -
Armia is out of the lineup due to a personal matter, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.
Paul Byron (LW)	Ques Fri	Lower Body - 19 / 04 / 22	1-5	5-1	+ -
Byron has been absent from the last four games with a lower-body injury, and it has yet to be determined if he will take on the Panthers on Friday.
Jake Evans (C)	Prob Thurs	Undisclosed - 19 / 04 / 22	1-5	5-1	+ -
Evans sat out the last contest with an unspecified ailment, but it is projected that he will line up against the Flyers on Thursday.
Michael Pezzetta (LW)	Elig Sat	Suspension - 17 / 04 / 22	1-5	5-1	+ -
Pezzetta has been handed a two-game suspension for an illegal check to the head, and he is eligible to return against the Senators on Saturday.
Jake Allen (G)	out for season	Groin - 09 / 04 / 22	3-8	6-5	+ -
Allen is idle with a groin injury, and he will miss the remainder of the season.
Paul Byron (LW)	Prob Mon	Undisclosed - 06 / 04 / 22	3-9	7-5	+ -
Byron has sat out the last two games due to an undefined injury, but it is projected that he will suit up Monday against the Jets.
Justin Barron (D)	out for season	Ankle - 06 / 04 / 22	3-9	7-5	+ -
Barron will sit out the rest of the 2021-22 season with an ankle injury.
Chris Wideman (D)	Ques Tues	Undisclosed - 01 / 04 / 22	4-10	8-6	+ -
Wideman sat out the last game with an unspecified ailment, and it has yet to be established if he will face the Senators on Tuesday.
Jake Evans (C)	Prob Thurs	Upper Body - 30 / 03 / 22	4-11	9-6	+ -
Evans departed the last game due to an upper-body injury, but it is projected that he will play Thursday versus the Hurricanes.

Arizona

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Cam Dineen (D)	Ques Wed	Undisclosed - 27 / 04 / 22	2-0	2-0	+ -
Dineen is battling an undefined injury, and it is unclear if he will play against the Stars on Wednesday.
Vladislav Kolyachonok (D)	out for season	Upper Body - 26 / 04 / 22	3-0	3-0	+ -
Kolyachonok will sit out the remainder of the 2021-22 season due to an upper-body injury.
Andrew Ladd (LW)	Ques Fri	Lower Body - 23 / 04 / 22	4-1	4-1	+ -
Ladd has been held out of the previous three games due to a lower-body injury, and it is uncertain if he will take part in Friday's clash with the Predators.
Jay Beagle (C)	Ques Fri	Lower Body - 21 / 04 / 22	4-2	5-1	+ -
Beagle has missed the last four contests with a lower-body injury, and it is up in the air if he will participate in Friday's tilt against the Predators.
Nick Ritchie (LW)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 21 / 04 / 22	4-2	5-1	+ -
Ritchie is out of commission due to an upper-body injury, and it has yet to be determined when he will return to the lineup.
Dysin Mayo (D)	Ques Fri	Upper Body - 20 / 04 / 22	4-2	5-1	+ -
Mayo has sat out the previous four games with an upper-body ailment, and it is up in the air if he will lace up for Friday's clash with the Predators.
J.J. Moser (D)	Ques Mon	Lower Body - 17 / 04 / 22	4-4	7-1	+ -
Moser was lifted from the previous game with a lower-body ailment, and it is unclear if he will face the Hurricanes on Monday.
Andrew Ladd (LW)	Ques Thurs	Hip - 14 / 04 / 22	4-5	8-1	+ -
Ladd has been sidelined due to a lower-body injury, and it is unclear if he will suit up Thursday versus the Canucks.
Barrett Hayton (C)	Ques Thurs	Arm - 13 / 04 / 22	4-6	9-1	+ -
Hayton was removed from the previous contest due to a arm injury, and it has yet to be determined if he will suit up Thursday versus the Canucks.
Jay Beagle (C)	Prob Thurs	Illness - 12 / 04 / 22	4-6	9-1	+ -
Beagle sat out the last game with an illness, but it is anticipated that he will take on the Canucks on Thursday.