Montreal Canadiens vs Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Pick & Prediction 12/23/24

Betting on today’s Canadiens and Blue Jackets game? Catch the action at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH, as the Blue Jackets hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this Eastern conference contest is set at 6.5 goals, with the Blue Jackets being favored by -1.5 goals at home against the Canadiens.

MONTREAL CANADIENS VS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets -1.5

This game will be played at Nationwide Arena at 7:00 ET on Monday, December 23rd.

WHY BET THE COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS:

• Even though they are 1.5 goal underdogs, we see the Canadiens winning this game by a score of 4-3.
• We like the Canadiens on the moneyline (+114)
• The Canadiens are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Does Montreal Have What it Takes on the Road?

Montreal’s 3-1 loss to the Penguins dropped their record to 14-16-3. The Canadiens entered the game as underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, with the combined score of 4 falling short of that mark.

The Canadiens didn’t score until the third period, when Christian Dvorak found the net at 14:28. Pittsburgh added an empty-net goal at 19:15 to seal the win.

Montreal’s offense was held in check during their 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh. Christian Dvorak netted his first goal of the season, while Emil Heineman picked up his first assist. Juraj Slafkovsky added his seventh assist of the year.

The Canadiens fired 26 shots on goal but struggled with giveaways, committing 20. They were shut out in the first two periods before Dvorak’s goal at 14:28 in the third.

Montreal’s defense gave up the first two goals in their previous game, with both coming late in the 1st and 2nd periods. The Canadiens pulled within one in the 3rd, but they gave up an empty-netter with 45 seconds left, resulting in a 3-1 loss. Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense recorded 4 takeaways and 28 hits.

Does Columbus Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?

Columbus fell to 13-16-6 after a 7-2 road loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets, as underdogs, failed to cover the puck line. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for 9.

Defensively, Columbus struggled from the start, allowing five goals in the first period. They managed to score twice in the second, but the Capitals added two more goals to seal the win.

Columbus managed 36 shots on goal in their 7-2 loss to Washington, but only came away with two goals. Damon Severson netted his 4th of the season, while Kevin Labanc added his 2nd. The Blue Jackets were held scoreless in the 1st period before Severson got them on the board 49 seconds into the 2nd period.

Columbus recorded 13 giveaways and 3 assists in the game. Sean Monahan picked up his 5th assist of the year on Labanc’s goal, and Zach Aston-Reese earned his 2nd assist. Adam Fantilli also contributed with his 4th assist on Severson’s goal.

Columbus’ defense struggled early, giving up 5 goals in the first period. They allowed another in the 2nd and one more late in the 3rd, leading to a 7-2 loss. Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves with a 68.2% save percentage. The Blue Jackets’ defense had 10 takeaways and 17 hits.