Montreal Canadiens (14-16-3) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (13-15-6)
December 23, 2024 7:00 pm EDT
The Line: Columbus Blue Jackets -137 / Montreal Canadiens +110; Over/Under: +6.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Montreal Canadiens and the Columbus Blue Jackets meet Monday in NHL action from the Nationwide Arena. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Montreal Canadiens vs. Columbus Blue Jackets prediction.
Montreal Canadiens Recap
The Montreal Canadiens come into this game looking to build on a 5-1 win over Detroit last time out. After this game, Montreal will head on the road to take on Florida.
Canadiens Win Third Straight
Nick Suzuki has a team-high 34 points with 11 goals and a team-high 23 assists while Cole Caufield has 30 points with a team-high 17 goals. Mike Matheson has 15 assists, Juraj Slafkovsky has 18 points with 14 assists and Lane Hutson has 24 assists as well on the year. Brendan Gallagher has 16 points with 9 goals while Jake Evans has 19 points with 7 goals and 12 assists. In goal for Montreal, Sam Montembeault has gone 12-13-2 with a 2.85 GAA and a .903 save percentage while Cayden Primeau is 2-3-1 with a 4.45 GAA and an .844 save percentage this season.
Why the Montreal Canadiens will win
- The Canadiens have won each of their last seven games against the Blue Jackets.
- The Blue Jackets have lost each of their last four games as favorites against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Canadiens have covered the puck line in each of their last eight Monday road games.
- The Blue Jackets have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last four games as favorites against Eastern Conference opponents.
Columbus Blue Jackets Recap
The Columbus Blue Jackets come into this game looking to bounce back after a 5-4 OT loss to Philadelphia last time out. After this game, Columbus will head home to take on Boston.
Blue Jackets Trying To Break Out Of Slump
Kirill Marchenko leads Columbus in scoring with 34 points including 12 goals and 22 assists while Zach Werenski has 32 points with 11 goals and 21 assists. Sean Monahan has 28 points with 11 goals and 17 assists while Cole Sillinger has 20 points with 14 assists. Daniil Tarasov is 3-5-1 with a 4.26 GAA and a .857 save percentage while Elvis Merzlikins is 10-9-3 with a 3.13 GAA and a .889 save percentage this season between the pipes for Columbus.
Why the Columbus Blue Jackets will win
- The home team has won each of the Blue Jackets’ last four games.
- The Canadiens have lost 11 of their last 13 road games against Metropolitan Division opponents.
- The Blue Jackets have covered the puck line in nine of their last 10 games at Nationwide Arena against opponents on a winning streak.
- The Canadiens have failed to cover the puck line in three of their last four games at Nationwide Arena following a win.
Canadiens vs. Blue Jackets Prediction
I’m going to take a shot on Montreal here. The Canadiens are just in better form going into the Christmas break, and Columbus has been struggling for the better part of the last month. The Blue Jackets in fairness have been at their best at home this season, but I think the value here is with Montreal.
