Montreal Canadiens vs Detroit Red Wings Betting Pick & Prediction 12/20/24
Betting on today’s Canadiens and Red Wings game? Catch the action at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI, as the Red Wings hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under goal line for this matchup is currently at 6 goals, and the Red Wings are favored by -1.5 vs. the Canadiens.
MONTREAL CANADIENS VS DETROIT RED WINGS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Detroit Red Wings -1.5
This game will be played at Little Caesars Arena at 7:00 ET on Friday, December 20th.
WHY BET THE DETROIT RED WINGS:
- With a 1.5-goal advantage on the spread, our projections favor the Red Wings to secure a 4-3 victory.
- Take the Red Wings on the moneyline
- On the spread, we like Canadiens (+1.5)
Can Montreal Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?
Montreal dropped to 12-16-3 after a 3-1 loss to the Penguins. The Canadiens were underdogs on the puck line, and the total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.
Montreal’s only goal came in the third period, cutting the Penguins’ lead to 2-1 before Pittsburgh added an empty-netter. The Canadiens’ defense struggled, allowing goals in each period.
Christian Dvorak netted his first goal of the season for the Canadiens, who fired 26 shots on goal in their 3-1 loss to the Penguins. Dvorak’s goal came 5:32 into the third period, with Emil Heineman picking up his first assist and Juraj Slafkovsky adding his seventh.
Montreal was held scoreless through the first two periods before Dvorak’s goal. The Canadiens struggled with giveaways, recording 20 in the game.
Montreal’s defense gave up the first two goals in their previous game, one at 15:57 in the first period and another at 18:40 in the second. They also allowed a late empty-netter at 19:15 in the third, leading to a 3-1 loss. Goalie Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense added 4 takeaways and 28 hits.
Are Detroit Ready for a Home Win?
Detroit moved closer to .500 with a 2-1 win over the Sabres, bringing their record to 13-14-4. The Red Wings were favored on the puck line, but failed to cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 3 fell well short.
The Sabres struck first with a short-handed goal in the first period. Detroit responded with two power-play goals in the second, both from Dylan Larkin, to secure the win.
In their 2-1 win over Buffalo, Detroit’s offense was limited to just two goals, both of which came in the second period. Dylan Larkin found the net for the 6th and 7th times this season, with his first goal coming 7:49 into the second period and his second at 14:38.
The Red Wings took 23 shots on goal and scored both of their goals on power plays. They had 15 offensive giveaways and recorded three assists, with Lucas Raymond picking up his 10th assist of the season.
Despite conceding the first goal of the game, Detroit’s defense locked down after that, helping the Red Wings secure a 2-1 win. Cam Talbot made 31 saves with a 96.9% save percentage, and the defense added 4 takeaways and 11 hits.