The Flames snapped a three-game slide with Tuesday’s 6-2 rout of the visiting Florida Panthers, and have now averaged five goals per game during their current three-game home surge. The Canadiens kick off a four-game western swing after dropping a 4-0 decision to the visiting San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night, but limited opponents to just three total goals during a preceding two-game win streak, with both those victories coming on the road.

The Canadiens have faded to +244 underdogs after opening at +239 on the NHL odds, while the Flames have surged to -296 favourites, backed by 82 per cent of sports bettors. The total is unchanged since opening at 6.0, with -120 odds favouring the OVER.

Canadiens vs. Flames NHL Betting Odds

Thursday night’s matchup at Scotiabank Saddledome marks the first of two regular season meetings between these clubs. The Canadiens swept two games with Calgary last season, and have now won three straight head-to-head, with two of those victories coming by a single goal. Montreal’s current surge comes after losing six of eight to the Flames during the abbreviated 2021 NHL campaign.

The total has topped 6.0 just twice during a 4-1-0 run for the OVER that comes on the heels of a five-game run for the UNDER in which these teams combined to score an average total of just 3.40 goals per game.

Montreal Canadiens

While the Canadiens return to the road with wins in three of their past five overall contests, they have struggled to generate offensive production over their past three contests, scoring just six total goals. The club failed to find the mark on Tuesday despite outshooting the Sharks by a 28-24 margin.

Slow starts have also become increasingly common with Montreal shooters scoring just four total first-period goals over the past six games, while surrendering eight opening-frame markers over that stretch. The loss of winger Mike Hoffman to a lower body injury has not helped matters. Hoffman has been sidelined for four games, and did not make the trip out west due to his injury, which put the brakes on a steady six-game stretch in which Hoffman potted four goals and added two assists.

The expected starter in Thursday’s contest, goaltender Jake Allen, has also struggled. Allen stopped just 20 of 23 shots he faced against the Sharks and closed out November with a 3-5-0 record in eight starts, with a 4.10 goals against average and .876 save percentage.

Calgary Flames

The Flames spoiled Matthew Tkachuk’s highly anticipated return to Calgary on Tuesday night, as they rediscovered their offensive touch in a decisive 6-2 victory. The win is much welcomed after the club closed out a five-game road trip by scoring just three total goals in three straight defeats. That performance extends what has been a streaky stretch for the Flames, who potted four goals per game during a preceding 4-1-0 run.

Jonathan Huberdeau led the attack against his former teammates in Tuesday’s win, scoring once and adding an assist. While Huberdeau has yet to find the form that powered him to a 115-point campaign and made him a Hart Trophy candidate a year ago, he has started to pick up the pace of late, recording three points over the past two games, and seven over his past nine appearances.

Jacob Markstrom is expected to be in the Flames crease on Thursday. And like Allen, the Swedish veteran has work to do to regain his form. Markstrom stopped just 22 of 25 shots faced last time out in last Friday’s 3-0 loss in Washington, and compiled a shaky .881 save percentage, surrendering at least four goals four times while going 4-4-0 in eight November starts. He has also allowed 14 total goals over his past four home starts.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Canadiens vs. Flames?

• Regular Season

Canadiens Team Leaders

MON

Points	Nick Suzuki 38
+ / -	Chris Wideman 4
Shots	Cole Caufield 158
Penalty Mins	Arber Xhekaj 92
Wins	Jake Allen 10
GAA	Cayden Primeau 3

CAL

Points	Elias Lindholm 45
+ / -	Nikita Zadorov 12
Shots	Nazem Kadri 164
Penalty Mins	Nikita Zadorov 47
Wins	Jacob Markstrom 13
GAA	Dan Vladar 2.77

• Regular Season

Flames Team Leaders

MON

Points	Nick Suzuki 38
+ / -	Chris Wideman 4
Shots	Cole Caufield 158
Penalty Mins	Arber Xhekaj 92
Wins	Jake Allen 10
GAA	Cayden Primeau 3

CAL

Points	Elias Lindholm 45
+ / -	Nikita Zadorov 12
Shots	Nazem Kadri 164
Penalty Mins	Nikita Zadorov 47
Wins	Jacob Markstrom 13
GAA	Dan Vladar 2.77

Injuries

Montreal

Joel Edmundson (D)

Ques Tues Upper Body - 26 / 01 / 23

Cole Caufield (RW)

out for season Shoulder - 21 / 01 / 23

Joel Armia (RW)

Mid Feb Upper Body - 17 / 01 / 23

Jonathan Drouin (LW)

Mid Feb Upper Body - 17 / 01 / 23

Juraj Slafkovsky (LW)

Mid April Lower Body - 15 / 01 / 23

Jake Evans (C)

Mid March Lower Body - 14 / 01 / 23

Jake Allen (G)

Ques Thurs Upper Body - 09 / 01 / 23

Brendan Gallagher (RW)

Late Feb Lower Body - 05 / 01 / 23

Kaiden Guhle (D)

Early March Leg - 30 / 12 / 22

Mike Matheson (D)

Prob Tues Lower Body - 19 / 12 / 22

Calgary

Chris Tanev (D)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 25 / 01 / 23

Brett Ritchie (RW)

Out indefinitely Wrist - 01 / 01 / 23

Dennis Gilbert (D)

Ques Sat Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 22

Radim Zohorna (LW)

Ques Thurs Illness - 18 / 12 / 22

Chris Tanev (D)

Ques Tues Head - 13 / 12 / 22

Elias Lindholm (C)

Ques Wed Upper Body - 12 / 12 / 22

MacKenzie Weegar (D)

Ques Wed Illness - 12 / 12 / 22

Brett Ritchie (RW)

Ques Fri Undisclosed - 21 / 11 / 22

Jonathan Huberdeau (LW)

Prob Mon Foot - 08 / 11 / 22

Michael Stone (D)

Ques Sat Undisclosed - 06 / 11 / 22

Injuries

Montreal

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Joel Edmundson (D)	Ques Tues	Upper Body - 26 / 01 / 23	1-2	1-1-1	+ -
Edmundson missed the previous game due to an upper-body injury, and it is not yet confirmed if he will be available against the Senators on Tuesday.
Cole Caufield (RW)	out for season	Shoulder - 21 / 01 / 23	2-3	2-2-1	+ -
Caufield is awaiting surgery for a right shoulder injury, and he is forecasted to miss the rest of the season.
Joel Armia (RW)	Mid Feb	Upper Body - 17 / 01 / 23	4-3	2-4-1	+ -
Armia has wound up on the injured reserve list due to an upper-body issue, and he is not expected to return before the All-Star break at the soonest.
Jonathan Drouin (LW)	Mid Feb	Upper Body - 17 / 01 / 23	4-3	2-4-1	+ -
Drouin has been designated to injured reserve with an upper-body injury, and he is not expected to return until the middle of February at the earliest.
Juraj Slafkovsky (LW)	Mid April	Lower Body - 15 / 01 / 23	5-3	2-5-1	+ -
Slafkovsky has been shifted to the injured reserve list with a lower-body ailment, and he is not expected to return for at least three months.
Jake Evans (C)	Mid March	Lower Body - 14 / 01 / 23	6-3	3-5-1	+ -
Evans has hit the injured reserve list with a lower-body injury, and he will remain sidelined for at least eight to 10 weeks.
Jake Allen (G)	Ques Thurs	Upper Body - 09 / 01 / 23	7-4	4-6-1	+ -
Allen has been sidelined with an upper-body injury, and it is up in the air if he will suit up Thursday against the Red Wings.
Brendan Gallagher (RW)	Late Feb	Lower Body - 05 / 01 / 23	7-6	5-7-1	+ -
Gallagher has been placed on the injured reserve list due to a lower-body injury and is likely to be sidelined for at least six weeks.
Kaiden Guhle (D)	Early March	Leg - 30 / 12 / 22	7-8	7-7-1	+ -
Guhle has landed on the injured reserve list with a leg injury, and he is expected to miss eight weeks.
Mike Matheson (D)	Prob Tues	Lower Body - 19 / 12 / 22	9-11	7-10-3	+ -
Matheson has been assigned to the injured reserve list with a lower-body injury, but he is likely to be available for Tuesday's clash with the Jets.

Calgary

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Chris Tanev (D)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 25 / 01 / 23	0-2	1-1	+ -
Tanev has been placed on the injured reserve list with an upper-body injury, and it has yet to be confirmed when he will be back on the ice.
Brett Ritchie (RW)	Out indefinitely	Wrist - 01 / 01 / 23	5-8	5-8	+ -
Ritchie has been activated from the injured reserve after recovering from a wrist injury, but there is no timetable for when he will return to the ice.
Dennis Gilbert (D)	Ques Sat	Undisclosed - 20 / 12 / 22	7-11	8-10	+ -
Gilbert has been activated from the injured reserve list after recovering from an unknown ailment, but it is unclear if he will make his return Saturday versus the Canucks.
Radim Zohorna (LW)	Ques Thurs	Illness - 18 / 12 / 22	7-12	9-10	+ -
Zohorna has missed the last two games with an illness, and it remains to be seen if he will lace up against the Kings on Thursday.
Chris Tanev (D)	Ques Tues	Head - 13 / 12 / 22	7-14	10-11	+ -
Tanev has been activated from the injured reserve list after recovering from a head injury, and it is undetermined if he will return versus the Sharks on Tuesday.
Elias Lindholm (C)	Ques Wed	Upper Body - 12 / 12 / 22	8-14	11-11	+ -
Lindholm missed the previous game with an upper-body ailment, and it is up in the air if he will play Wednesday against the Canucks.
MacKenzie Weegar (D)	Ques Wed	Illness - 12 / 12 / 22	8-14	11-11	+ -
Weegar was absent from the last contest with an illness, and it is unknown if he will face the Canucks on Wednesday.
Brett Ritchie (RW)	Ques Fri	Undisclosed - 21 / 11 / 22	15-18	16-17	+ -
Ritchie has been held out of the last two contests due to an undefined injury, and it has yet to be determined if he will take part in Friday's battle with the Capitals.
Jonathan Huberdeau (LW)	Prob Mon	Foot - 08 / 11 / 22	16-23	18-21	+ -
Huberdeau has sat out the last three games due to a foot injury, but it is likely that he will lace up for Monday's clash against the Kings.
Michael Stone (D)	Ques Sat	Undisclosed - 06 / 11 / 22	16-25	19-22	+ -
Stone has been activated from the injured reserve list after recovering from an undefined issue, and it is unknown if he will play Saturday versus the Hurricanes.