The Montreal Canadiens took care of business against the Chicago Blackhawks on October 14th when the two teams faced off. They'll now attempt to sweep the season series when they visit the United Centre to take on Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Canadiens-Blackhawks prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

The Canadiens are playing their second game of a back-to-back, losing to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night. The Canadiens were expected to be in a lottery position again this season, but the team still finds themselves above .500. They sit in sixth in the Atlantic division but are only five points back of a wildcard spot. They have points in four-straight games, holding a 2-0-2 record, and hope to grab two more points against a struggling Blackhawks squad. Extending the point streak will put the Canadiens in a good position before starting their holiday break. The team won't be in action again until December 28th.

The Blackhawks pulled off a surprise win on Tuesday night, defeating the Colorado Avalanche 3-2. It was their first win since December 9th, halting a four-game losing streak. The team allowed 19 goals over the four games, scoring only seven. The Blackhawks are currently tied for last place in the NHL, putting themselves in a position to land another star in the 2024 NHL entry draft. The Blackhawks will gladly place either Macklin Celebrini or Cole Eiserman next to Connor Bedard for the next 15-20 years, much like their run with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. If the Blackhawks land another star this offseason, prepare for a lot of complaining from NHL fans.

Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Canadiens-Blackhawks Odds

Montreal Canadiens: +1.5 (-255) ML (-102)

Chicago Blackhawks: -1.5 (+205) ML (-118)

Over: 6.5 (+104)

Under: 6.5 (-128)

How to Watch Canadiens vs. Blackhawks

Time: 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT

TV: NBCSC, TSN

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Canadiens Will Cover The Spread/Win

It's a mystery how the Canadiens are still above .500. They are struggling mightily on the offensive end, ranking 27th and scoring 2.71 goals per game. Their defense hasn't been as bad, but they are still ranked 22nd in the league. They allow 3.32 goals per game. A bright spot for the Canadiens is that likely starter Jake Allen snapped his six-game losing streak on Monday.

The reason for the Canadiens winning this matchup won't be for their team stats but for how bad the Blackhawks have been. The Blackhawks are the second-worst scoring team in the league, with 2.35 goals per game. They are also the third-worst defensive team, allowing 3.55 goals per game. The Blackhawks' biggest offensive threat is Connor Bedard, who leads the team with 28 points, 11 more than No.2 on the list. Bedard will lead the Blackhawks in points for however long he stays with the team, but for an 18-year-old to be up by 11 points, it may not bode well for your chances at success this season.

Why The Blackhawks Will Cover The Spread/Win

Honestly, there aren't many reasons to bet on the Blackhawks. Any team can win on any night in the NHL, as we saw Tuesday night when the Blackhawks beat the Avalanche. However, the chances of the Blackhawks stringing together two wins is more unlikely. One chance they do have is if Petr Mrazek is their starting goalie. Mrazek is 8-10-0 with a 3.04 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. Keep an eye on the starting goaltender because the Blackhawks may keep Mrazek for tomorrow night's game against the Blues.

Final Canadiens-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick

The starting goalies are unannounced, but the Canadiens will likely have Jake Allen in the net on the second night of a back-to-back. The Blackhawks are playing their first of back-to-back games as they head to St. Louis on Saturday night. We may see Arvid Soderblom in the net for the Blackhawks tonight, as the Blackhawks will want their starter, Petr Mrazek, to be their goalie in the rivalry game on Saturday night. If Soderblom is in the net, his 2-10 record with a 4.00 goals-against average may not put the Blackhawks in the best position to win. Allen is the worst option for the Canadiens but should be able to outduel Soderblom.

As outlined in the introduction, the Blackhawks are on a trajectory to again be in contention for the first overall pick. Despite a rash of injuries, the Canadiens are somehow staying in the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens have a lot more to play for than the Blackhawks right now, and they are on a much better run over their past ten games. This could be an ugly game, but there is no reason why the Blackhawks should be favorites. There's a good chance the line could go the other way by puck drop.

Final Canadiens-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick: Canadiens ML (-102)