New York Rangers vs. Montreal Canadiens Prediction, NHL Odds
The Canadiens are -115 on the NHL odds with a total of 5.5 goals.
Rangers vs. Canadiens NHL Betting Odds
This completes a quick swing through Canada for New York after losing in Toronto on Thursday, so it’s a second straight Original Six road matchup tonight. Meanwhile, it’s the third of a four-game homestand for the Habs ahead of a tough four-game trip that begins next Wednesday in Calgary.
Saturday is the first of three meetings between these teams, and the Rangers’ only visit to the Bell Centre barring a playoff matchup – certainly possible if not likely in opposite divisions. They haven’t met in the post-season since the 2014 Eastern Conference Finals, won by the Rangers in six. That’s the last time New York reached the conference finals. The Canadiens go to Madison Square Garden on Dec. 13 and April 2.
Rather interestingly, Montreal has lost the season series to New York, 2-1, in each of the past five and not counting the 2020 COVID season when they didn’t play each other. The Habs split the two at home in 2024-25. Nick Suzuki (4G, 1A) led Montreal with five points in the series and was the only player with more than one goal. Sam Montembeaul lost both his outings, with Jakub Dobes and Cayden Primeau also both seeing some action.
Blueliner and former Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox (5A) led New York with five points and was plus-3. Mika Zibanejad had three goals and a helper. Igor Shesterkin won his lone start, allowing two goals. Jonathan Quick split his with a 3.89 GAA.
New York Rangers
New York enters on a three-game losing streak but at least found the net in a 2-1 OT loss in Toronto on Thursday as the Blueshirts didn’t score in their previous two games. They are still the only team yet to score at home this season but have scored in every road game (2-0-1). Juuso Parssinen had a goal vs. the Leafs, his first of the season. Igor Shesterkin took that tough-luck loss and has been great with a 1.00 GAA and .962 SV on the year but is only 2-2-1. The Russian should be in there again tonight. New York has allowed the fewest goals per-game in the NHL this season with a 1.50 mark, and its nine total goals given up are fifth-fewest.
The Rangers have played two more games than the other four teams who have allowed four or fewer 5-on-5 goals. Star winger Artemi Panarin ranks fifth in the NHL in road points since 2021-22 with 199 and since 2015-16, his 12 assists on the road against the Canadiens are tied for third in the NHL. Panarin is -111 for a helper tonight. New York has points in seven-consecutive games (5-0-2) in the series, the longest for the Rangers against Montreal since an eight-game run from 2001-01 through 2001-02 and third longest in the series history. The under is 6-1 in the Rangers’ past seven games overall.
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal enters having won four straight and the past two in OT after a 5-4 victory win over Nashville on Thursday to improve to 2-0 at home. Cole Caufield is certainly in the early Hart Trophy discussion as he had two goals against the Preds, including the winner at 4:57 of OT. Caufield’s five goals lead the team and are tied for third in the league. He also had the game-winner in overtime in the previous win over Seattle so a third straight such tonight would tie the franchise record. Caufield is on a four-game points streak and is -215 for at least one tonight.
Blueliner Lane Hutson has points in three straight games and prevented the puck from going into an empty net Thursday before feeding Caufield for his game-winner. Nick Suzuki also assisted and has seven helpers, tied with Caufield for the team lead. Jakub Dobes started Thursday, so it should be back to Sam Montembeault here. But the Habs will be without forwards Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine and blueliner Kaiden Guhle. The first two are day-to-day, but Guhle will miss 4-6 weeks after suffering a lower-body injury Thursday. He has a goal and assist.
