Both the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens desperately need two points when they meet on Tuesday as both are battling for a playoff spot. The Preds are much more likely to make it than the Habs are. Let’s see how the NHL odds will be for the Predators vs Canadiens.
Predators vs Canadiens 2020 NHL Game Preview & Betting Odds
- When: Tuesday, 7 PM ET
- Where: Bell Centre
- TV: NHL Center Ice
- Opening NHL Lines: Predators -105, Canadiens -105 / Total 5.5
G A M E D A Y. 📍 Bell Centre ⏰ 6 p.m. CT 👀 Draft Picks @ @FordIceCenter Bellevue 📺 @PredsOnFSTN 📻 @1025TheGame #Preds | #NSHvsMTLhttps://t.co/GFjj7dSycV
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) March 10, 2020
Predators vs Canadiens Season Series
First meeting. The Preds won both last year, including 4-1 in Montreal. Craig Smith had two goals. Shea Weber scored against his former Predators team and P.K. Subban had two assists for Nashville. Weber and Subban were traded for one another in a 2016 blockbuster. Juuse Saros had 27 saves for the Predators and Carey Price 28 for Montreal.
Why Bet on Nashville?
Nashville swept a home-and-home with Dallas on Thursday and Saturday, shutting out the Stars in both. It was the first time in Predators history they had back-to-back shutouts in a home-and-home set. Juuse Saros was in net for both. He has taken over for Pekka Rinne as the No. 1 netminder.
Saros has started 14 of the Predators’ last 20 games and he has posted excellent numbers during that span. Saros has a 10-4-0 record with a 2.15 goals-against average, a .936 save percentage and three shutouts during that stretch. He’s 16-12-4 with a 2.72 GAA and .913 save percentage in 39 contests this season overall.
“He’s been playing amazing,” Ryan Ellis said of Saros. “We’ve always had great goaltending here, no matter who’s in the net, and Juice has been honestly unbelievable. He looks so calm, even on high-danger chances. He’s just swallowing them up, eating them every time… To be honest, he looks phenomenal right now.”
Ellis scored the lone goal in Nashville’s 1-0 win against Dallas on Saturday. Ellis has eight goals and 37 points in 48 games in 2019-20. He’s played in just 48 games thanks to Dallas’ Corey Perry giving him a cheap shot to head in the Winter Classic. Viktor Arvidsson and Matt Duchene each registered an assist for the Predators in Saturday’s win.
Predators defenseman Roman Josi was fined $5,000 by the NHL Sunday for cross-checking Perry on Saturday, the league announced. The fine is the maximum allowable under the league’s collective bargaining agreement. Josi was given a two-minute penalty for high sticking on the play. Josi has 16 goals and 63 points for the Predators and is a Norris Trophy candidate.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.1
- Shots: 33.1
- PP/PK Percentage: 17.12
- Goals: 3.16
- Shots: 31.19
- PP/PK Percentage: 23.94
Why Bet on Montreal?
Montreal lost its second game in a row Saturday, 4-1 at Florida. Backup goalie Chris Driedger stopped 33 shots, Mike Hoffman had a goal and an assist, and Florida broke their eight-game home losing streak. Making just his 14th NHL appearance, Driedger (6-2-1) made his best save by denying Max Domi on a breakaway at 4:37 of the second period.
Backup Charlie Lindgren was in net for the Habs but it should be Carey Price here. Montreal wore No. 16 stickers to honor Canadiens great Henri Richard, who died at age 84 on Friday. Richard played his entire 20-season career with Montreal, won an NHL-record 11 Stanley Cups and was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979.
Jake Evans posted his second goal of the season for Montreal in the loss. It was unassisted midway through the third period when the Panthers were already up 3-0. He also added a plus-1 rating with two shots on goal and a hit in his 12:07 of ice time across 17 shifts. The 23-year-old from Toronto snapped an eight-game scoreless skid.
The Canadiens are really feeling the absence of Tomas Tatar in their lineup. Tatar, the Habs’ leading scorer with 61 points in 68 games, has missed the team’s last two games with an upper-body injury. In those two contests (both losses), the Canadiens have scored only one goal and have been ineffective on the power play. The return Saturday of Brendan Gallagher, who is tied with Tatar for the team lead in goals with 22, didn’t help much after he missed the game prior because of the flu.
Fellow forward Jonathan Drouin was on the ice for Monday’s practice. Coach Claude Julien didn’t have an update on Drouin’s status following the session. Drouin has missed the last five games due to an ankle injury.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3
- Shots: 34.16
- PP/PK Percentage: 17.84
- Goals: 3.1
- Shots: 31.04
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.26
Predators vs Canadiens Game Trends
- Predators are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Montreal.
- Favorite is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.
- Under is 13-2-1 in the last 16 meetings.
- Under is 8-0 in the last 8 meetings in Montreal.
- Predators are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Predators vs Canadiens Expert Prediction
Canadiens 4, Predators 3
