Montreal Canadiens vs. Anaheim Ducks Prediction, NHL Odds
The Canadiens saw a three-game road win streak come to a halt with Thursday’s 3-2 loss in Los Angeles, but have claimed victory in three of their past four when playing in the back half of games played on consecutive nights. The Ducks saw a three-game win streak end with Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the visiting Washington Capitals, and have claimed just one victory ion their past five home dates.
The Ducks are listed as -136 home favourites on the Friday NHL odds, while the Canadiens lag as +112 underdogs. The total is pegged at 6.0, with the OVER slightly favoured as a +115 bet.
Canadiens vs. Ducks NHL Betting Odds
Friday night’s matchup at Honda Center marks the second and final meeting of the season between these last-place clubs. The Ducks claimed a decisive 5-2 victory when they visited Bell Centre back on December 15, and have now topped the Habs in three straight meetings, and are undefeated in six head-to-head clashes on home ice. With Anaheim averaging 4.67 goals per game, the OVER has paid out in each of their three recent wins over Montreal. In addition, Anaheim’s past three home wins over the Habs have come by multi-goal margins, adding value to their +172 odds to cover on the puckline on Friday night.
Montreal Canadiens
After marching to an impressive 3-1 comeback victory in San Jose on Tuesday to open their current four-game western road trip, the Canadiens were unable to maintain an early lead in LA, dropping a 3-2 decision while getting outshot by a wide 33-21 margin. Acquired earlier in the week in a trade that sent veteran Evgenii Dadonov to the Dallas Stars, forward Denis Gurianov made his presence felt in Thursday’s contest, scoring once on two shots while doling out a pair of hits. However, the Canadiens’ offensive production remains spotty. The club has scored just seven total goals over their past three outings after tallying four or more goals in five of their past seven outings. Montreal continues to frustrate opposing shooters, allowing an average of just two goals per game over during their current 3-1-0 run on the road. After watching Jake Allen get the start on Thursday, Samuel Montembeault is expected to tend the crease on Friday. Montembeault was rocked for five goals on just 22 shots in his last outing, a 5-2 loss to Ottawa last weekend, and has surrendered an average of four goals per game over his past five starts.
Anaheim Ducks
Currently locked in a tight four-way battle for last place over in the NHL standings, the Ducks have done little to please fans hoping for them to tank by picking up at least a point in five of their past six games. The club came close to extending their recent win streak on Tuesday, rallying to tie the score late before finally losing 3-2 to Washington in overtime. Trevor Zegras provided the spark against the Capitals, scoring once and adding an assist, and has now recorded 21 points in his past 20 games including multi-point performances in two of his past three outings. The Ducks have also been steady defensive performers, allowing just two goals per game in regulation over their past four outings. However, with the NHL trade deadline looming, the status of veteran rearguards John Klingberg and Dmitry Kulikov remains uncertain for Friday night.
MON
ANA