Utah Mammoth vs. Montreal Canadiens Prediction, NHL Odds
The Canadiens dropped a 4-3 decision to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night, extending their current slide to two games, but remain perched atop the Atlantic Division standings, two points up on Detroit. The Mammoth limp into Montreal after falling 5-3 in Toronto on Thursday, and have lost three of four since seeing a seven-game October win streak snapped.
Saturday’s matchup is pegged as a pick ‘em on the NHL odds, and the total is pegged at 6.0.
Mammoth vs. Canadiens NHL Betting Odds
These two clubs split a pair of games last season, with the road team emerging victorious in each including Utah’s 3-2 victory at Bell Centre last November. Overall, the Habs have taken four of six from the Mammoth and their predecessors, the Arizona Coyotes, including victories in two of three home dates, both by multi-goal margins. However, the total has only topped 6.0 once over that stretch, powering a 3-1-1 run for the UNDER in NHL totals betting. After soaring to the top of the Atlantic Division standings while winning nine of their first 12 games, including seven victories by a single goal, the Canadiens have stopped getting the bounces while dropping two straight one-goal decisions.
Maintaining early leads has emerged as an issue for Montreal, which has blown the advantage in four straight outings, each of which was settled in overtime or by shootout, and have seen seven of their first 14 games go beyond 60 minutes. After a fast start, the road has taken its toll on the Mammoth, who will be playing away from the home at Delta Center for the seventh time in eight outings. Utah has seen all three of their recent defeats come by multi-goal margins but they are undefeated in four road outings this season while sporting negative odds.
Utah Mammoth
Goals have come at a premium for the Mammoth, with the club potting just 13 total markers over their past five games, and have been limited to three or fewer goals in seven of their road contests to date. Dylan Guenther has cooled off after racking up 12 points in October, potting just one goal and no assists in three November contests. Nick Schmaltz and Logan Cooley continue to lead the team in goals, each with eight, but have combined to record just two total goals over the Mammoth’s past five games, and just one total shot on goal in Thursday’s loss to the Leafs. That adds to the pressure on Saturday’s expected goaltender, Karel Vejmelka, who is coming off a stellar 17-save appearance in the club’s 2-1 overtime win that opened this road trip, but has also been lit up for at least four goals in two of four away appearances.
Montreal Canadiens
Goaltender Jakub Dobes showed a lot of emotion while publicly taking the blame for the Canadiens’ 4-3 overtime loss to New Jersey on Thursday night, but it is tough to hang the goat’s horns on the second-year backstop considering his teammates mustered just 19 shots on goal in the contest including none in the extra frame. The Habs’ woes have not been helped by the lack of production from some of their biggest shooters. Cole Caufield leads the club with 10 goals but has scored just once in his past four home appearances and past three games overall. Nick Suzuki saw a 12-game points streak end on Thursday night and has scored just three times through 14 games after tallying 30 or markers in each of the past two season.
Prized rookie Ivan Demidov was also blanked on Thursday while failing to record a shot on goal but has impressed at home, scoring three times and adding four markers in six appearances, and is a solid +280 bet on the NHL player props to bulge the twine on Saturday for the third time in as many home contests.
