The Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens meet Saturday in NHL action at the Bell Centre. Here’s a Canadiens vs. Blue Jackets Prediction. This article will include a Canadiens vs. Blue Jackets Pick.
Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Preview
The Columbus Blue Jackets lost to the Sabres, beat the Red Wings and play the Bruins next. The Blue Jackets have lost 8 of their last 10 games.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are averaging 3.01 goals per game and are scoring on 19.2 percent of their power play opportunities. Kirill Marchenko leads Columbus with 26 goals, Zach Werenski has 58 assists and Adam Fantilli has 210 shots on goal. Defensively, the Columbus Blue Jackets are allowing 3.09 goals per game and are killing 76.2 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Jet Greaves has allowed 135 goals on 1,474 shots faced, and Elvis Merzlikins has given up 95 goals on 812 shots.
Montreal Canadiens Betting Preview
The Montreal Canadiens beat the Panthers and Lightning and play the Islanders next. The Canadiens have won 10 of their last 11 games.
The Montreal Canadiens are averaging 3.43 goals per game and are scoring on 23.2 percent of their power play opportunities. Cole Caufield leads Montreal with 50 goals, Nick Suzuki has 70 assists and Juraj Slafkovsky has 173 shots on goal. Defensively, the Montreal Canadiens are allowing 3.05 goals per game and are killing 78.1 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Jakub Dobes has given up 108 goals on 1,129 shots faced, and Sam Montembeault has allowed 81 goals on 635 shots.
Why the Montreal Canadiens will win
- The Canadiens have won 10 of their last 11 games.
- The Blue Jackets have lost eight of their last nine night games at Bell Centre.
- The Blue Jackets have failed to cover the puck line in seven of their last eight games following a road loss.
- The Canadiens have covered the puck line in six of their last seven games against the Blue Jackets.
- The Blue Jackets have lost the third period in each of their last six games as underdogs against Eastern Conference opponents when trailing after the second period.
Why the Columbus Blue Jackets will win
- The underdogs have won each of the Blue Jackets’ last three games.
- The Canadiens have lost five of their last seven games as home favorites following a home win.
- The underdogs have covered the puck line in each of the Canadiens’ last seven games.
- The Canadiens have failed to cover the puck line in eight of their last nine games as home favorites following a home win.
- The Canadiens have lost the third period in seven of their last eight home games against Eastern Conference opponents when trailing after the second period.
Total Goals Facts
- Each of the Blue Jackets’ last six road games against opponents on a winning streak have gone UNDER the total goals line.
- Seven of the Canadiens’ last eight games following a win have gone UNDER the total goals line.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 1′ market has hit in eight of the Blue Jackets’ last nine games as road underdogs.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 2′ market has hit in each of the Canadiens’ last 10 Saturday games.
Montreal Canadiens Player Prop Facts
- Cole Caufield has scored at least one goal in seven of the Canadiens’ last eight Saturday night games.
- Mike Matheson has recorded at least one assist in seven of his last eight appearances against the Blue Jackets.
Columbus Blue Jackets Player Prop Facts
- Zach Werenski has recorded at least one assist in six of his last seven appearances with the Blue Jackets as road underdogs against Atlantic Division opponents.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Montreal Canadiens rank 7th in the league for goals per game this season (3.43).
- The Montreal Canadiens have recorded the equal-most wins when tied or trailing after Period 1 this season (27).
- The Columbus Blue Jackets rank T27th in the league in penalty kill percentage this season (76.17%).
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have suffered the equal-most losses when tied or leading after Period 2 this season (22).
Canadiens vs Blue Jackets Prediction
The Blue Jackets need to win this game to keep their slim playoff hopes alive but that hasn’t stopped them from piling up the losses previously. The Blue Jackets are in awful form and they’ve scored 2 or fewer goals in 7 of their last 10 games. The Canadiens have won 9 of their last 10 games and are firing on all cylinders as they head into the playoffs. I’m not stepping in front of the Habs for a team like the Blue Jackets that just can’t get anything going on the offensive end. The price is reasonable. Give me the Canadiens to stay hot.