The Montreal Canadiens are coming off an absolutely crucial 5-4 shootout win over the New Jersey Devils to climb within eight points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference standings. With time running out to make a serious push, the Habs need to capitalize on every opportunity they can to secure two points. Montreal will get another excellent chance to earn a key victory when it hosts the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night. While the Ducks have been pretty bad this season, they’re playing some of their best hockey right now. They’ll enter the game with wins in five of their last seven, so we’ll see if they can pull a surprise here.

Ducks vs. Canadiens Betting Analysis

Anaheim is just 10-16-2 on the road so far this season. Despite their overall struggles the Ducks are still an impressive 5-2 in their last seven games overall. However, Anaheim is just 9-13 against Eastern Conference opponents this season and 8-13 against teams with a losing record.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens are 5-1 in their last six games when playing on one day of rest. Montreal is 7-2 in its last nine games against Pacific division opponents. The one area where the Canadiens need to be better is on home ice. Montreal is just 5-15 in its last 20 home games. In order to have any shot at competing for a playoff spot, the Canadiens need to do better at the Bell Centre for the remainder of the season.

Anaheim Ducks

The big question about Anaheim is whether their hot streak has to do more with its improved play of late or more with its relatively mediocre recent schedule. The Ducks have won five of their last seven overall but only one of those victories was against a team currently in a playoff spot. Ondrej Kase and Rickard Rackell have really picked up the pace with eight points combined over their last four games.

John Gibson hasn’t been great but he tends to shine in the team’s wins. He has a save percentage of .926 or higher in each of his last three wins. He has a save percentage of .879 or worse in each of his last four losses, though. The key seems to be the two-goal mark. The team has won three straight when he’s allowed two goals or less. They’ve lost six of his last seven when he’s allowed three or more.

Montreal Canadiens

As good as the Ducks have played lately, Montreal is the better team and needs to prove it on Thursday night. The Canadiens can’t afford to give up any more points in the Eastern Conference playoff race. That could be a challenge as goaltender Carey Price is questionable for Thursday’s game, which is why we don’t have a line on the board. Price has been lights out of late with a 1.77 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage over the last two weeks.

Meanwhile, rookie Nick Suzuki has been on fire with six points in his last five games. Tomas Tatar has picked it up with seven points in his last five games, while Joel Armia has five points over that span. The Canadiens don’t have any superstar scorers, but they are deep up front. As long as they come out with the level of desperation they need to show, Montreal should be able to clinch an important two points on Thursday night.

Who Will Win Ducks vs. Canadiens?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Ducks Team Leaders

ANA

Points	Adam Henrique 43
+ / -	Michael Del Zotto 5
Shots	Rickard Rakell 186
Penalty Mins	Nicolas Deslauriers 92
Wins	John Gibson 20
GAA	Anthony Stolarz 2.04

MON

Points	Tomas Tatar 61
+ / -	Phillip Danault 18
Shots	Brendan Gallagher 226
Penalty Mins	Ben Chiarot 61
Wins	Carey Price 27
GAA	Cayden Primeau 2.52

ANA

Points
+ / -
Shots	Did not qualify
Penalty Mins
Wins
GAA

MON

Points	Nick Suzuki 7
+ / -	Joel Armia 5
Shots	Brendan Gallagher 37
Penalty Mins	Jesperi Kotkaniemi 23
Wins	Carey Price 5
GAA	Carey Price 1.78

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Canadiens Team Leaders

ANA

Points	Adam Henrique 43
+ / -	Michael Del Zotto 5
Shots	Rickard Rakell 186
Penalty Mins	Nicolas Deslauriers 92
Wins	John Gibson 20
GAA	Anthony Stolarz 2.04

MON

Points	Tomas Tatar 61
+ / -	Phillip Danault 18
Shots	Brendan Gallagher 226
Penalty Mins	Ben Chiarot 61
Wins	Carey Price 27
GAA	Cayden Primeau 2.52

ANA

Points
+ / -
Shots	Did not qualify
Penalty Mins
Wins
GAA

MON

Points	Nick Suzuki 7
+ / -	Joel Armia 5
Shots	Brendan Gallagher 37
Penalty Mins	Jesperi Kotkaniemi 23
Wins	Carey Price 5
GAA	Carey Price 1.78

Injuries

Anaheim

John Gibson (G)

day-to-day Ribs - 07 / 03 / 20

Josh Manson (D)

Prob Sun Upper Body - 04 / 03 / 20

Ryan Miller (G)

Ques Tues Illness - 01 / 03 / 20

Hampus Lindholm (D)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 26 / 02 / 20

Nick Ritchie (LW)

Ques Tues Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20

Christian Djoos (D)

Ques Tues Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20

Danton Heinen (LW)

Ques Tues Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20

Matt Irwin (D)

Ques Tues Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20

Sonny Milano (LW)

Ques Tues Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20

Joel Persson (D)

Ques Sun Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20

Montreal

Brendan Gallagher (RW)

Out indefinitely Jaw - 20 / 08 / 20

Brendan Gallagher (RW)

Ques Wed Foot - 05 / 08 / 20

Jake Evans (C)

Ques Fri Upper Body - 05 / 08 / 20

Alex Belzile (RW)

Ques Fri Head - 28 / 07 / 20

Max Domi (C)

Ques Aug 1 Illness - 14 / 07 / 20

Karl Alzner (D)

out for season Personal - 12 / 07 / 20

Christian Folin (D)

Ques Mon Undisclosed - 12 / 03 / 20

Charlie Lindgren (G)

day-to-day Upper Body - 11 / 03 / 20

Brendan Gallagher (RW)

Ques Sat Flu - 05 / 03 / 20

Tomas Tatar (LW)

day-to-day Shoulder - 03 / 03 / 20

Injuries

Anaheim

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
John Gibson (G)	day-to-day	Ribs - 07 / 03 / 20	4-0	3-1	+ -
Gibson is dealing with injured ribs, and it is unknown if he will suit up when the league resumes game play.
Josh Manson (D)	Prob Sun	Upper Body - 04 / 03 / 20	4-2	4-2	+ -
Manson has been absent from the lineup during the last two games with an upper-body injury, but he is expected to return to the ice against the Wild on Sunday.
Ryan Miller (G)	Ques Tues	Illness - 01 / 03 / 20	5-2	4-3	+ -
Miller was absent from the lineup during the last game with an illness, and it is undetermined if the symptoms will subside in time for Tuesday's matchup versus the Blackhawks.
Hampus Lindholm (D)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 26 / 02 / 20	7-2	6-3	+ -
Lindholm is out of commission with an upper-body injury, and it is unclear when he will return to the ice.
Nick Ritchie (LW)	Ques Tues	Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20	8-2	6-4	+ -
Ritchie was recently traded for, and it is unclear if he will make his team debut against the Flames on Tuesday.
Christian Djoos (D)	Ques Tues	Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20	8-2	6-4	+ -
Djoos was recently acquired via trade, and it is unknown if he will play against the Oilers on Tuesday.
Danton Heinen (LW)	Ques Tues	Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20	8-2	6-4	+ -
Heinen was traded for, and it is uncertain if he will line up Tuesday versus the Oilers.
Matt Irwin (D)	Ques Tues	Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20	8-2	6-4	+ -
Irwin was recently acquired in a trade, and it is unclear if he will make his team debut Tuesday against the Oilers.
Sonny Milano (LW)	Ques Tues	Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20	8-2	6-4	+ -
Milano has an undetermined status heading into Tuesday's contest against the Oilers as he was recently acquired by the team in a trade.
Joel Persson (D)	Ques Sun	Acquired - 24 / 02 / 20	8-2	6-4	+ -
Persson was traded for by the organization, and it is up in the air if he will make his team debut Sunday versus the Devils.

Montreal

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Brendan Gallagher (RW)	Out indefinitely	Jaw - 20 / 08 / 20	1-0	1-0	+ -
Gallagher suffered a fractured jaw, and he will not be available for the remainder of the Eastern Conference first round versus the Flyers.
Brendan Gallagher (RW)	Ques Wed	Foot - 05 / 08 / 20	6-2	2-6	+ -
Gallagher is nursing a left foot injury, and it is undetermined if he will suit up in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference qualifying round versus the Penguins.
Jake Evans (C)	Ques Fri	Upper Body - 05 / 08 / 20	6-2	2-6	+ -
Evans is saddled with an upper-body injury, and it is unclear if he will face the Flyers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Alex Belzile (RW)	Ques Fri	Head - 28 / 07 / 20	7-3	3-7	+ -
Belzile is battling a head injury, and it is unclear if it will impede his status against the Penguins in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference qualifying round.
Max Domi (C)	Ques Aug 1	Illness - 14 / 07 / 20	7-3	3-7	+ -
Domi has Type-1 diabetes, and it remains to be seen if he will participate in Game 1 of the qualifying round against the Penguins.
Karl Alzner (D)	out for season	Personal - 12 / 07 / 20	7-3	3-7	+ -
Alzner has informed the team that he will sit out the remainder of the season due to a personal reason.
Christian Folin (D)	Ques Mon	Undisclosed - 12 / 03 / 20	7-3	3-7	+ -
Folin is tending to an unspecified ailment, and it is unknown if he will join the lineup in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference qualifying round versus the Penguins.
Charlie Lindgren (G)	day-to-day	Upper Body - 11 / 03 / 20	7-3	3-7	+ -
Lindgren is dealing with an upper-body injury, and it is unknown if he will be available against the Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference qualifying round.
Brendan Gallagher (RW)	Ques Sat	Flu - 05 / 03 / 20	8-5	4-9	+ -
Gallagher was absent from the lineup during the previous game with flu-like symptoms, and it is unknown if he will participate in Saturday's contest versus the Panthers.
Tomas Tatar (LW)	day-to-day	Shoulder - 03 / 03 / 20	8-6	5-9	+ -
Tatar is dealing with a shoulder injury, and it is undetermined if he will be good to go once the league starts back up.