New Jersey Devils vs. Montreal Canadiens Prediction, NHL Odds
-
Sports Interaction Staff
The New Jersey Devils were able to get a big shootout win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday. That result now has them riding five wins in their last seven games as they travel up north to go up against the Montreal Canadiens. Montreal hasn’t been great lately, losing five straight games as a lot of injuries are hampering their roster.
The NHL odds place the Devils at -117 on the puckline on -294 on the moneyline. As for the total, it stands at 6.5 goals.
Devils vs. Canadiens NHL Betting Odds
The Devils are 22-4 in their last 26 games when going up against a team with a losing record on the season. They are also 10-2 in their last 12 games played on a Saturday. When it comes to their total, the over has hit in six of their last eight games against teams with a losing record.
On the other hand, Montreal is 1-4 in their last five games against teams with a winning percentage over .600. They are also just 49-103 in their last 152 games overall. The total has watched the over hit in their last six games when going up against teams from the Metropolitan division.
Note that the road team has also won seven of the last eight meetings between the Devils and Canadiens.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils are great on both ends of the ice as a number of breakout stars have been propelling their success. New Jersey currently ranks fourth in the league in goals scored per game and seventh in goals allowed. Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, and Dawson Mercer are just a few of the guys who have already posted career-high in totals points.
On the other end, Vitek Vanecek has locked down the crease. This has long been an area of weakness for the franchise but Vanecek is 27-7-3 this year with a 2.55 GAA and a .907 save percentage. He has had some issues recently, though, so bettors can’t be too confident with the Devils. Vanecek has allowed at least four goals in four of his last five starts, allowing a total of 20 in that span. If he’s shaky, the Devils could blow what otherwise looks like a very winnable game.
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal has had a difficult year up to this point. Lately, injuries have been devastating their roster. Among the most notable players sidelined are Kirby Dach, Christian Dvorak, Jordan Harris, and Cole Caufield. Caufield, Dach, and Dvorak are the second, third, and fourth-leading point scorers on the team. Harris, on the other hand, is a defenseman who’s played in 60 games this year and chews up 18:03 of time on the ice. All of these absences have been devastating to a roster that was already limited before that.
To make matters worse, goalie Jake Allen has struggled in his past few games. He is currently 0-2-1 in the games that he’s played during March with a 3.30 GAA and a .900 save percentage. Given how both goaltenders are looking right now, over might make a lot of sense.
