Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens Betting Pick & Prediction 12/17/24

Betting on today’s Sabres and Canadiens game? Catch the action at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC, as the Canadiens hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Sabres are favored by -1.5 in this Atlantic divisional contest against the Canadiens. The game’s over/under currently sits at 6 goals.

BUFFALO SABRES VS MONTREAL CANADIENS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Montreal Canadiens +1.5

This game will be played at Bell Centre at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, December 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 4-3.
• We like the Canadiens on the moneyline (+107)
• The Canadiens are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Will Buffalo Live Up to Expectations on the Road?

Buffalo’s 2-1 loss to the Red Wings dropped their record to 11-16-4. The Sabres’ defense held Detroit scoreless in the first period, but they gave up two goals in the second, both to Dylan Larkin.

The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for just 3. Buffalo, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover. They scored first, with Alex Tuch finding the net at 11:39 in the first period.

Buffalo’s offense was held in check in their 2-1 loss to Detroit, with Alex Tuch netting the Sabres’ only goal. Tuch’s fifth goal of the season came shorthanded at 8:21 in the first period.

Despite firing 32 shots on goal, Buffalo couldn’t find the back of the net again. The Sabres recorded 13 giveaways in the game.

Buffalo’s defense gave up two goals, both of which came on power plays in the second period. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage. The Sabres’ defense also recorded 5 takeaways and 17 hits.

Can the Canadiens Lock in a Home Win?

Montreal’s 3-1 loss to the Penguins dropped them to 11-16-3 this season. The Canadiens were underdogs on the puck line and the total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.

Christian Dvorak scored Montreal’s only goal at 5:32 in the third period, narrowing the deficit to 2-1 before the Penguins sealed the game with an empty-netter. The Canadiens’ defense struggled early, allowing goals at 4:03 in the first and 1:20 in the second.

Montreal’s offense struggled in their 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh, managing just one goal, which came from Christian Dvorak at 14:28 in the third period. The Canadiens fired 26 shots on goal and recorded 20 giveaways.

Emil Heineman picked up his first assist of the season, while Juraj Slafkovsky added his seventh. The Canadiens were shut out in the first two periods before Dvorak’s goal.

Montreal’s defense gave up the first two goals of the game, one at 15:57 in the first period and another at 18:40 in the second. The Canadiens pulled within one in the third, but an empty-net goal from Pittsburgh sealed the game at 3-1. Goalie Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense recorded 4 takeaways and 28 hits.