In their first head-to-head meeting of the regular season, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens take the ice at Bell Centre for an Eastern Conference showdown. NBC Sports Network will showcase the game, and the action gets going at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 15.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Montreal Canadiens Odds
With a -200 moneyline, Pittsburgh enters the contest as the noticeable favorite. The line for Montreal sits at +170, and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at an even 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -115 money on the over and -105 on the under.
Pittsburgh is 40-31 straight up (SU) and has netted 1.2 units for moneyline bettors this season. 38 of its contests have gone over the total, while 30 have gone under and just two have pushed. As an away team this season, the Pens are 14-22 SU.
Pittsburgh comes into the match up with the second-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s scored on 25.6 percent of its extra-man opportunities this year. Its penalty kill is ranked 16th out of 31 teams, and it’s successfully killed off 80.7 percent of its penalties.
The Pens, as a collective unit, have been penalized 4.0 times per game during the 2017-18 season, and 4.8 per game over its last five road outings. The team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 7.2 minutes per game over their last five outings.
With a .909 save percentage and 25.7 saves per game, Matt Murray (25-16-2) has been the primary option in goal for Pittsburgh this season. If it chooses to give him a rest, however, the team might go with Tristan Jarry (14-11-2 record, .910 save percentage, 2.76 goals against average).
Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel will both be relied on to produce for the visiting Penguins. Malkin has 87 points on 39 goals and 48 assists, and has recorded multiple points 23 times. Kessel has 28 goals and 50 assists to his credit, and has notched at least one point in 49 games.
On the other side of the rink, Montreal is 26-44 straight up (SU) and has lost 20.9 units for moneyline bettors this year. 38 of its games have gone under the total, while 30 have gone over and just two have pushed. It’s 17-18 SU at home this season.
The Canadiens have converted on just 20.9 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 29th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 75.7 percent of all opponent power plays.
Canadiens players have been sent to the penalty box 3.8 times per game in total this season, and 5.0 per game over their last five at home. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays 11.8 minutes per game over their last five home outings.
Carey Price has stopped 27.3 shots per game as the top netminder in goal for the Canadiens. Price has 15 wins, 28 losses, and six overtime losses to his credit and has maintained a fairly-weak .904 save percentage and 2.98 goals against average this year.
Brendan Gallagher (26 goals, 17 assists) will pace the offensive attack for the Canadiens.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Montreal Canadiens Betting Predictions
NHL Pick: SU Winner – Canadiens, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Trends
Three of Montreal’s last ten games have been decided by a shootout. The team is 0-3 in those games and 2-6 overall in shootouts this season.
The over has hit in three of Montreal’s last five games.
Two offenses that shoot the puck early and often, Pittsburgh has registered the league’s third-most shots on goal (34.3) while Montreal has attempted the ninth-most (33.5).
This game features two of the more aggressive defenses in the league. Pittsburgh skaters have given out the league’s seventh-most hits per game (23.9) and the Habs have tallied the second-most (25.7).
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