Roman Josi, Ryan Johansen, and the Nashville Predators are set to do battle against Max Domi, Jonathan Drouin, and the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre for an East-West showdown. CBC Sports will broadcast the matchup, which gets going at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 5.
Nashville Predators at Montreal Canadiens Odds
Nashville is 24-18 straight up (SU) and has lost 2.3 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. Through 42 regular season outings, 21 of its games have gone under the total, while 19 have gone over and just one has pushed. As a road team in 2018-19, the Preds are 9-11 SU.
Nashville has converted on just 15.5 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s ranked 25th in the NHL. Additionally, its penalty kill is ranked 11th overall, and it has successfully killed off 81.4 percent of its penalties..
Averaging 24.7 saves per game with a .919 save percentage, Pekka Rinne (16-14-3) has been the top option in goal for Nashville this season. Rinne did just play last night, however, so head coach Peter Laviolette could opt to rest him and roll with Juuse Saros instead (9-7-1 record, .903 save percentage, 2.83 goals against average).
On the other side of the ice, Montreal is 22-19 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 5.5 units this year. Through 41 regular season matches, 21 of its games have gone over the total, while 19 have gone under and just one has pushed. It’s 11-9 SU at home this season.
The Canadiens have converted on just 13.2 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a mark that’s ranked 31st in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 21st overall, and it’s successfully killed off 77.4 percent of all penalties.
Carey Price has stopped 26.4 shots per game as the primary option in goal for the Canadiens. Price has 16 wins, 15 losses, and four overtime losses and has maintained a subpar .908 save percentage and 2.75 goals against average this season.
Nashville Predators vs. Montreal Canadiens Betting Predictions
Free NHL Pick: SU Winner – Predators, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- Five of Montreal’s last ten games have been decided by two or more goals, and the team is 4-1 overall in those games.
- The Predators are 10-7 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 18-12 when they serve fewer than 10 penalty minutes, in total.
- Montreal is 2-0 in games decided by a shootout this season while Nashville is 1-1 in shootouts.
- For both of these teams, the over has hit in three of their past five games.
- Nashville is ranked 17th this season with 10.1 giveaways per game. That figure has trended upward, as the team’s averaged 11.1 giveaways over its last 10 games and 11.6 giveaways over its last five.
- Montreal skaters have averaged 18.6 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 11.2 giveaways per game (ranked 21st in the NHL).
- The Canadiens this season have recorded the third-most hits in the league (27.2 per game), but the team’s averaged 32.6 over their last five games as the home team.
