Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators Prediction, NHL Odds
The Habs opened their current three-game road trip with Wednesday’s 3-2 victory in New Jersey, but have work to do to snap a snap a six-game losing streak when facing Ottawa. The Senators are coming off a 7-4 loss to the visiting Colorado Avalanche, which marked their 13 defeat in 17 games. However, the Sens have enjoyed steady results at home, winning three of their five.
The Senators’ recent success, both at home and against Montreal, has helped lift them to -185 favourites on the Thursday NHL odds. The Canadiens trail as +150 underdogs, while -130 odds favour the total going OVER 6.5.
Canadiens vs. Senators NHL Betting Odds
The Senators have filled the net during their current six-game head-to-head win streak, lighting up the Habs for and average of five goals per game over that stretch, and outgunning Montreal by a wide 14-6 overall margin in three straight home victories. Despite their decisive loss to the Avs, Sens shooters have remained productive at home of late, averaging 4.20 goals per game while winning three of five, and rank a very respectable 11th in the league with 3.45 goals per game on home ice this season.
The Canadiens arrive in Ottawa with six wins in their past 11 road dates, but have still managed to post wins in consecutive games played on the road just once while compiling a 10-7-4 away record. Indeed, this marks just the sixth time this season that Montreal enjoys a two-game win streak, and the team has suffered big letdowns following each of this season’s 2-0-0 runs, and have been outscored by a 21-9 margin over their previous five failed attempts at a third straight victory. Despite losing eight of their past 13 overall, Montreal has managed to tighten up defensively, surrendering just 2.67 goals per game while winning three of six overall, and have seen the UNDER pay out in four of their past five contests.
Montreal Canadiens
Now just five points out of a wild card spot, the Canadiens enjoy a golden opportunity to rewrite some losing narratives with a win on Thursday. However, this team must do a far better job of protecting leads if they are to turn things around. The club has seen each of the games on their current 3-1-2 run get settled by a single goal. But two of those three defeats came after squandering early leads, and the Habs needed late goals to stamp out opposing rallies in each of their two recent wins. Former first overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky has shown signs of breaking out of his scoring slump with a goal in each of the past two games, and Cole Caufield has extended his points streak to four games with two goals and two assists over the past two outings. Thursday’s probable netminder Jake Allen is coming off a solid 32-save performance in Monday’s 4-3 win over Colorado, which marked just his second winning decision in 11 starts since October.
Ottawa Senators
The Senators enter Thursday’s action stalled in last place in the Eastern Conference, but remain a respectable team on home ice, where they have compiled an11-11-0 record. Centre Josh Norris is expected to miss a third straight game as he nurses a lower body injury. Norris’ absence has created opportunity for youngster Ridly Greig, who led the way with two goals in Tuesday’s loss to the Avs and has now chipped in five points over the past five games. Brady Tkachuk has been a force on home ice this season. Tkachuk contributed three helpers in Tuesday’s loss and has now racked up two goals and nine points over his past five home dates.
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