Washington Capitals vs Montreal Canadiens Betting Pick & Prediction 2/17/24

The Capitals and Canadiens are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Canadiens will host the game at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC. The Capitals are the -1.5 goal favorite in this Eastern conference matchup against Canadiens. The over/under for the game is set at 6 goals.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS MONTREAL CANADIENS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Montreal Canadiens +1.5

This game will be played at Bell Centre at 7:00 ET on Saturday, February 17th.

WHY BET THE MONTREAL CANADIENS:

• Despite being 1.5 goal underdogs, we predict the Canadiens to come out on top with a final score of 4-2.
• We like the Canadiens on the moneyline (-103)
• The Canadiens are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Can Washington Lock in a Road Win?

Heading into tonight’s game, the Capitals are 12th in the Eastern Conference standings with 54 points and a record of 23-21-8. Against other teams in the East, Washington is 13-15, and in the Metropolitan Division, they are 11-8.

On the road this season, the Capitals have gone 10-12-3 in 25 games, and as the favorite, they are 11-2-2. Over their last ten games, Washington has gone just 2-8, and they have lost four of their last five games.

Washington enters the game with a puck line record of 23-29 this season and has gone 4-11 against the puck line as the favorite. So far, the Capitals have had 13 wins by just one goal, while their average scoring differential on the road is at -0.9 goals per game.

Over their last ten games, the Capitals have gone just 4-6 vs. the puck line, and their average scoring margin as the underdog is at -1.3 goals per contest. Overall, Washington has gone 11-14 vs. the puck line on the road, and they have 19 losses by more than one goal this season.

This season, Washington’s games are averaging 5.6 goals per game. Their average over/under line is 6. The Capitals currently have an over/under record of 21-29-2.

Across their last three road contests, Washington has a 2-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 1-2, while averaging 3 goals per game.

On the offensive side, the Capitals are scoring an 2.4 goals per game this season, ranking 30th in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 29th in the league. This year, the Capitals have recorded a 8-6 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. For games with fewer shots on goal, they have a 15-15 record.

Washington’s current leading scorer is Dylan Strome. This season, he has 20 goals, which puts him 41st in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 15 assists so far.

In terms of defense, the Canadiens head into the game ranked 3rd in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 33.6 shots per game against Montreal. So far, they are 27th in shutouts, achieving 1 shutouts.

Goalie Charlie Lindgren comes into the game having made 23 starts this season. So far, his record is 10-8 and he has a save percentage of 0.679%.

Will Montreal Win at Home?

At home this season, the Canadiens have gone 11-14-3, and they have a 52 point record of 22-24-8. In the Atlantic Division, Montreal is in 6th place and 13th in the Eastern Conference. Against other teams in the East, the Canadiens have gone 12-17.

As the underdog this season, Montreal has gone 18-23-8, and they have lost their last three games as the underdog. In their last ten games, the Canadiens have gone 3-7 and 2-3 in their last five games. For the season, Montreal has been the underdog in all but five of their games.

When playing at home, the Canadiens have a puck line record of 16-12 this season. Overall, their puck line record is 33-21, and they have gone 5-5 against the puck line in their last ten games.

This year, Montreal has 15 losses by just one goal compared to 7 wins by multiple goals. As the underdog, the Canadiens have a puck line record of 32-17, and they have gone 3-2 against the puck line in their last five games.

On average, Montreal’s games have finished with 6.4 goals per game. The season’s average over/under line stands at 6.3. In total, the Canadiens come in with an over/under record of 28-25-1.

In their last three road games, Washington has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 3. The team’s record in this stretch was 1-2 while going 2-1.

When looking at their offense, the Canadiens have an average of 2.8 goals per game this season, positioning themselves 26th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are ranked 27th in the league. Montreal’s offense is currently ranked 14th in power play goals. When it comes to shorthanded goals, they are 16th in the league.

Montreal will be looking for a good game from Cole Caufield who leads the team in scoring with 19 goals, ranking 48th in the NHL. Caufield also comes into the game with 26 assists.

Defensively, the Canadiens are currently 3rd in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 33.6 shots per game against Montreal. They also are 27th in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.

Heading into this matchup vs. Washington, goalie Sam Montembeault has started 25 games in this season. His current record is 12-9, and his save percentage stands at 0.783%.