In their first head-to-head meeting of the regular season, the Montreal Canadiens and the Vancouver Canucks face off at Rogers Arena. CBC Sports will showcase this cross-country matchup, and the action gets underway at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 17.
Montreal Canadiens at Vancouver Canucks Odds
Vancouver (-105) is playing the role of underdog to Montreal (-115) and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-120 to bet the over, +100 for the under).
Netting 6.3 units for moneyline bettors, the Canucks are 10-11 straight up (SU) overall this year. That early-season winning percentage is a welcome improvement over the 31-51 record from the 2017-18 season campaign. Through 21 regular season outings, 11 of its games have gone over the total, while 10 have gone under and none have pushed. The team is 5-2 SU at home this year.
Vancouver’s converted on 18.3 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 22nd overall, and it’s successfully killed off 78.2 percent of all penalties.
Vancouver, as a collective unit, has been penalized 4.3 times per game overall this season, and 3.6 per game over its last five home outings. The team’s had to kill penalties for just 8.0 minutes per game over its last five home outings.
Sporting a .896 save percentage and 29.1 saves per game, Jacob Markstrom (7-7-2) has been the primary option in goal for the Canucks this year. If the Nucks decide to give him a breather, however, head coach Travis Green might turn to Anders Nilsson (3-3-3 record, .912 save percentage, 2.67 goals against average).
The Nucks will continue looking for leadership via Bo Horvat and Elias Pettersson. Horvat (18 points) has put up 10 goals and eight assists and has recorded two or more points in three different games this year. Pettersson has 10 goals and seven assists to his name and has recorded a point in nine contests.
Montreal has earned moneyline bettors 3.0 units this season and is currently 10-9 straight up (SU). A total of 10 of its games have gone over the total, while eight have gone under the total and just one has pushed. Montreal’s 4-5 SU as the visiting team this season.
Montreal has converted on just 12.9 percent of its power play chances this season, a mark that places it in the bottom- overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 13th overall and it’s successfully killed off 81.3 percent of all opponent power plays.
Montreal’s players have been penalized 4.0 times per game in total this season, 4.0 per game over their last five games total, and 4.6 per game over their last five on the road. The team’s been forced to kill penalties just 8.2 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Carey Price (26.8 saves per game) has been the primary option in goal for Montreal. Price has six wins, seven losses, and three overtime losses to his credit, while registering a .899 save percentage and 2.99 goals against average this year.
Max Domi (10 goals, 13 assists) will pace the offensive counter for the visiting Canadiens.
Montreal Canadiens at Vancouver Canucks Free Picks
NHL Prediction: SU Winner – Canucks, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Trends
Vancouver is 1-2 in games that go to shootout. Montreal is 2-0 in shootouts.
For both of these clubs, the over has hit in four of their last five outings.
After averaging the 10th-most shots in the league last season (32.7 per game), Montreal has attempted 32.3 shots per contest overall this season, and 28.6 in its last five road outings.
Vancouver has averaged 3.1 goals per game this year, but is averaging 2.0 goals per contest in its last four contests (the team is 0-4 SU over that stretch).
Over Montreal’s last ten games, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 2-4 in those games).
Montreal skaters have accounted for the fourth-most hits in the league (26.6 per game).
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