Two teams squaring off for the first time this year, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Montreal Canadiens take the ice at Bell Centre for an Eastern Conference tilt. Reseau Des Sports will broadcast the matchup, which gets going at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 14.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Montreal Canadiens Odds
With a -115 moneyline, Montreal heads into the matchup as the slight favorite. The line for Columbus sits at -105 and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -105 for the over and -115 on the under.
Columbus is 10-8 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 0.1 units this year. Through 18 regular season contests, nine of its games have gone over the total, while another nine have gone under and none have pushed. The Jackets are 5-4 SU as the road team in 2017-18.
Columbus has converted on just 9.4 percent of its power play chances this season, a figure that places them in the bottom- overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 17th in the league, and it has successfully killed off 80.4 percent of all penalties.
For the team as a whole, Columbus has been penalized just 3.0 times per game during the 2017-18 season, 2.6 per game over its last five outings total, and 2.8 per game over its last five on the road. The team’s had to kill penalties just 7.0 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
With a .925 save percentage and 28.4 saves per game, Sergei Bobrovsky (9-5-1) has been the best option in goal for Columbus this year. If Columbus chooses to rest him, however, they might roll with Joonas Korpisalo (1-3), who has a .896 save percentage and 3.27 goals against average this year.
Artemi Panarin and Seth Jones will both lead the way for the visiting Blue Jackets. Panarin has 13 points via three goals and 10 assists, and has recorded multiple points two times. Jones has three goals and nine assists to his creditand has registered at least one point in nine games.
Montreal is 8-10 straight up (SU) and has lost 3.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. 10 of its games have gone over the total, while seven have gone under and just one has pushed. It’s 4-4 SU at home thus far.
Montreal has converted on 16.4 percent of its power play chances this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 30th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 75.0 percent of all penalties.
Montreal players have been sent to the penalty box 3.9 times per game in total this season, and 3.2 per game over their last five at home. The team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 8.0 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Carey Price has denied 25.3 shots per game as the top choice in goal for Montreal. Price has three wins, eight losses, and one OT loss to his name and has recorded a pedestrian 3.77 goals against average and a poor .877 save percentage this season.
The Habs will be led on offense by Brendan Gallagher (seven goals, five assists) and Jonathan Drouin (three goals, nine assists).
Columbus Blue Jackets at Montreal Canadiens Free Picks
Predictions: SU Winner – Canadiens, O/U – Over
Betting Notes:
- The total has gone under in four of Montreal’s last five games.
- Two clubs that have pounded opposing nets with shots, Columbus has taken the league’s fifth-most shots on goal (35.0) while Montreal has attempted the second-most (37.2).
- Six of Columbus’ last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 2-4 in those games.
- The Habs this season have tallied the seventh-most hits per game (23.7), but that number has jumped up to 26.8 over their past five games as the home team.
