The Montreal Canadiens continue their road trip when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. These teams met in December, with the Hurricanes escaping with a 5-3 win. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Canadiens-Hurricanes prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
The Canadiens have been able to hold on to games as of late after losing five consecutive games against the Metropolitan division. The Canadiens hosted Arizona and won 4-2, then went on a trip through Florida that saw them lose two games by identical 4-3 shootout finals. They were down 2-0 early to Nashville on Tuesday but scored three unanswered goals to win 4-3 in overtime. For most teams, that'd be a good week, but for a team trying to finish closer to the bottom of the standings for a better draft pick, fans won't be happy with six points out of a possible eight.
The Hurricanes sit second in the Metropolitan Division thanks to a four-game winning streak in February. Things haven't been going as well lately, losing three of the last five games, but they have a chance to get it back on track with games against Montreal, New Jersey, and Calgary upcoming on the schedule.
Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Canadiens-Hurricanes Odds
Montreal Canadiens: +1.5 (-102)
Moneyline: +235
Carolina Hurricanes: -1.5 (-118)
Moneyline: -285
Over: 6.5 (+100)
Under: 6.5 (-120)
How to Watch Canadiens vs. Hurricanes
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: Bally Sports, TSN
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Canadiens Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Canadiens might catch Carolina during a rough stretch of play, as the Hurricanes have lost three of their last five games. Over the past ten games, the Canadiens numbers look significantly better than the Hurricanes in most categories. Montreal has 3.2 goals per game, well above their season average. Carolina is averaging less than their season average, posting just three goals per game.
Montreal's defense has gotten better thanks to a three-man goaltending split. Jake Allen, Samuel Montembeault, and Cayden Primeau have been splitting duties and allowing just 3.3 goals per game, which is .12 less than their season average.
Why The Hurricanes Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Hurricanes have dominated the Canadiens since the 2019-20 season, winning seven consecutive games. The matchups haven't been close, as only one game was decided by one goal, and three of the seven games ended in shutouts for Carolina. The Canadiens have lost seven of their last nine games and seem to be ending their season in hopes of landing a top-five draft pick.
The Hurricanes defense will be a big problem for the Canadiens, as they allowed just 2.2 goals per game over their last ten. Pyotr Kochetkov and Spencer Martin have been splitting the duties and allowed more than two goals for the first time in five games when they lost 5-3 to the Winnipeg Jets in their last game.
Final Canadiens-Hurricanes Prediction & Pick
The best bet in this game is the under since most of the statistics over the last ten games are trending in the right direction for that outcome. The Hurricanes are averaging and allowing fewer goals than usual, and the Canadiens are scoring just 2.9 goals per game on the road.
The Hurricanes' dominance of the Canadiens is also worth taking a chance on the puck line. They've won seven consecutive games over Montreal, which has been by a margin of two or more in six. The Canadiens surprisingly defeated the Nashville Predators and have seen all three of the games on the road trip decided in extra time. They won't have much left to finish the trip before taking on their rival Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Click here for more betting news and predictions
Final Canadiens-Hurricanes Prediction & Pick: Under 6.5 (-120) and Hurricanes -1.5 (-118)
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