Bell Centre will be hosting an East-West matchup as the Colorado Avalanche pay a visit to Quebec to meet the Montreal Canadiens. The match will get going at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 23 and it is being televised live on Reseau Des Sports.
Colorado Avalanche at Montreal Canadiens Odds
Colorado is 27-19 straight up (SU) and has netted 11.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 46 regular season contests, 25 of its games have gone over the total, while 19 have gone under and just one has pushed. As the away team this season, the Avs are 9-11 SU.
Colorado has converted on 20.9 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that places them in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked second overall, and it’s successfully killed off a whopping 84.8 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Avs have been called for penalties 4.3 times per game during the 2017-18 season, and 3.6 per game over its past five outings. The team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 7.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 28.5 saves per game with a .912 save percentage, Semyon Varlamov (14-12-2) has been the best option in goal for Colorado this year. If it chooses to give him a rest, however, Colorado might turn to Jonathan Bernier (14-8-1), who has a .920 save percentage and 2.58 goals against average this year.
Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen will both lead the offensive attack for the visiting Avalanche. MacKinnon (59 points) is up to 23 goals and 36 assists, and has recorded two or more points in 18 different games. Rantanen has 17 goals and 30 assists to his name (and has logged a point in 29 games).
On the other side of the rink, Montreal is 19-28 straight up (SU) and has lost 12.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 47 regular season matches, 26 of its games have gone under the total, while 19 have gone over and just two have pushed. This year, the team is 11-14 SU at home.
The Canadiens have converted on just 19.3 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 24th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 78.1 percent of all opponent power plays.
Canadiens players have been called for penalties 3.8 times per game in total this season, and 2.4 per game over their last five at home. The team’s had to kill penalties just 7.1 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Carey Price (28.0 saves per game) has been the primary choice in goal for the Canadiens. Price has 13 wins, 20 losses, and four overtime losses and has maintained a mediocre 2.96 goals against average and a fairly-weak .908 save percentage this season.
Max Pacioretty (15 goals, 14 assists) will lead the offensive counter for the Canadiens.
Colorado Avalanche at Montreal Canadiens Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Canadiens, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Trends
Over Montreal’s last ten outings, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 1-5 in those games).
Colorado has allowed 2.9 goals per game overall this season, but has gotten that figure down 1.6 per contest over the team’s 10-game winning streak.
Power plays and penalty kills may play a critical role in this matchup. The Avalanche are 13-6 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 16-12 in games where they’re in the penalty box for fewer than 10 total minutes. The Canadiens are 6-8 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 13-20 in games where they’re in the box for less than 10 minutes.
Two of Montreal’s last ten games have been decided by a shootout. The team is 1-1 in those games and 2-2 overall in shootouts this year.
The under has hit in three of Montreal’s last five games.
Montreal is ranked 31st this season with 13.2 giveaways per game. That figure has trended lower lately, however, as the team’s averaged 10.7 giveaways over its last 10 games and 11.4 giveaways over its last five.
Colorado has averaged 7.8 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 6.2 giveaways per game (the fifth-fewest in the NHL).
The Canadiens this season have tallied the third-most hits in the league (25.2 per game), but that average has jumped up to 32.4 over their last five games as the home team.
