Canucks vs. Canadiens Odds
Canucks Odds | +110 |
Canadiens Odds | -130 |
Over/Under | 6 |
Time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
TV | ESPN+ |
Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. |
There's no rest for the reeling Canucks, losers of four straight, who will play the fourth game on their five-game Eastern Conference road trip against the Canadiens at the Bell Centre on Monday.
Vancouver blew a third-period lead and lost in regulation 3-2 to the Bruins on Sunday night.
Montreal is in no great straits either. The Canadiens are 6-15-2, have lost six of eight and fired general manager Marc Bergevin on Sunday.
Vancouver Canucks
Only the New York Islanders have a lower shooting percentage than the Canucks (seven percent) thus far this season. Vancouver's .965 all-situation PDO (Shooting Percentage plus Save Percentage) is second-worst in the league, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Vancouver is just 1-8-1 in its past 10 games and has only exceeded two goals twice in that span. The Canucks are dead last in the Pacific Division with 14 points and only lead the Arizona Coyotes among Western Conference teams.
Thatcher Demko, the Canucks' likely starter in goal Monday, has been a workhorse in goal, playing the sixth-most minutes among NHL goalies (995:22) but has just a .904 Save Percentage, with ranks 13th worst among NHL goalies.
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal has still been without star goalie Carey Price, who is working his way back after spending the first month of the season in the NHL's player-assistance program. Price rejoined the team about three weeks ago but is still getting into game shape.
The Canadiens have struggled in goal without him as Jake Allen, who has started 16 games and will likely get the nod Monday, has the ninth-lowest High-Danger Save Percentage at 5-on-5 (.791).
As a team, they have surrendered the most goals in the NHL (83), own the fourth-lowest high-danger save percentage (.785) and have the third-lowest team Save Percentage (.890). Montreal has the third-worst PDO — trailing just Vancouver and the Arizona Coyotes.
Montreal scored six goals in its win in Pittsburgh on Saturday yet has surrendered three-plus goals in eight straight games. That led ownership to finally pull the plug on Bergevin, who had been the Canadiens general manager since 2012.
Canadiens vs. Canucks Pick
The team that can't score is squaring off against the team that can't stop allowing goals. Which team will win?
Well, I'm not sure, but Montreal seems to allow goals to everyone, and the team that seems stingy in giving them up, Vancouver, will be playing the second of a back-to-back. That means fatigue and lack of structure.
Couple that with some super-enticing odds — over six goals is even money despite there being at least six goals in five of Montreal's past seven games — and we'll be putting our money on the over.
Pick: Over 6 (+100)