Montreal Canadiens vs Florida Panthers Betting Pick & Prediction 12/30/23

Don't miss out on the NHL showdown between the Canadiens and Panthers. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Panthers at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, FL. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this Atlantic division contest is set at 6.5 goals, with the Panthers being the favored team playing at home against the Canadiens.

MONTREAL CANADIENS VS FLORIDA PANTHERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Florida Panthers -1.5

This game will be played at FLA Live Arena at 7:00 ET on Saturday, December 30th.

WHY BET THE FLORIDA PANTHERS:

• In spite of being 1.5 goal underdogs, we anticipate the Canadiens winning this one 4-3.
• We like the Canadiens on the moneyline (+205)
• The Canadiens are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Does Montreal Stand a Chance on the Road?

As they head into their game vs. the Panthers, the Canadiens have a 15-14-5 record thus far. While playing at home, their record stands at 7-9-2, and they have 8-5-3 mark on the road. At the moment, they hold the 6th spot in the Eastern Atlantic division and are ranked 13th in the Eastern conference.

Montreal is 21-13 against the puck line this season. On the road, their puck line record sits at 11-5 compared to 10-8 at home. This season, Montreal's games are averaging 6.3 goals per game. Their average over/under line is 6.3. The Canadiens currently have an over/under record of 17-16-1.

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

For their offensive performance, the Canadiens come in averaging 2.8 goals per game this season, which is 28th in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 28th in the league. The Canadiens went 4-2 in games where they had more shots than their opponents. However, in games with fewer shots on goal, their record was 11-12.

The leading scorer for Montreal's offense is Nick Suzuki. Coming into the game he has 10 goals, ranking 90th in the NHL. Suzuki also comes into the game with 20 assists.

Defensively, the Panthers come into the season ranked 27th in goals allowed. Opponents are averging 27.1 shots per game against Florida. For the season, they are ranked 14th in shutouts, coming in with 2 shutouts.

Goalie Jake Allen comes into the game having made 12 starts this season. So far, his record is 4-6 and he has a save percentage of 0.56%.

Can Florida Deliver Being Favored at Home?

Through 35 games, the Panthers have achieved an overall record of 21-12-2. When on the road, Florida holds a 10-7-2 record, while they are 11-5-0 when playing at home. They are currently positioned 2nd in the Eastern Atlantic division and 3rd in the Eastern conference.

Regarding the puck line, Florida comes in with a 16-19 record. On the road against the puck line, they are 10-9, while their home record is 6-10. Games involving Florida have an average of 5.6 goals per game this season. Their average over/under line is 6.4. In terms of their over/under performance, the Panthers come in with a record of 14-21-0.

Across the Panthers last three home games, the team averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 2. Their record vs the puck line in these contests was 1-2, while going 2-1 straight-up.

When looking at their offense, the Panthers have an average of 2.9 goals per game this season, positioning themselves 21st in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are ranked 3rd in the league. This year, the Panthers have recorded a 14-11 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. For games with fewer shots on goal, they have 5-1 record.

Florida's leading scorer is Sam Reinhart. So far, he has 23 goals which is 4th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 21 assists so far.

The Panthers defense is currently 27th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 27.1 shots per game against Florida. In terms of shutouts, they come into the game ranked 14th with 2 shutouts.

Goalie Anthony Stolarz comes into the game having made eight starts this season. So far, his record is 4-3 and he has a save percentage of 0.37%.