New York Islanders vs Montreal Canadiens Betting Pick & Prediction 12/16/23
Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Islanders versus the Canadiens? The puck drops at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on MSGS. The game will be played at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC. The Islanders come into this Eastern conference matchup as the betting favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 6 goals.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS 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, December 16th.
WHY BET THE MONTREAL CANADIENS:
- With a 1.5 goal advantage on the spread, our projections favor the Islanders to secure a 4-3 victory.
- Take the Islanders on the moneyline
- On the puck line, we like Canadiens (+1.5)
Is A Road Victory Likely for the Favored Islanders?
For the season, the Islanders currently hold an overall record of 14-7-8. On the road, New York has gone 6-4-2 and they are 8-3-6 at home. Their current record places them 2nd in the Eastern Metropolitan division and 5th in the Eastern conference.
In terms of the puck line, New York posted a 15-14 record. On the road they are 9-3 against the puck line, while their overall home performance is 6-11. For the season, the average number of goals per game in matchups featuring New York is 6.4. The season’s average over/under line is currently at 6. The Islanders come in with an over/under record of 17-11-1.
In their last three road games, New York has averaged 4 goals per game while allowing 4. The team’s record in this stretch was 2-1 while going 3-0 vs. the spread.
For their offensive performance, the Islanders come in averaging 3.1 goals per game this season, which is 18th in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 17th in the league. So far this year, the Islanders are 4-2 in games they have had more shots on goal than their opponent. They are 10-5 in games with fewer shots on goal.
New York’s leading scorer is Brock Nelson. So far, he has 13 goals which is 26th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 12 assists so far.
Entering the game, the Canadiens’ defense ranks 30th in takeaways, averaging 5 takeaways per contest. In the NHL, they currently stand at 4th in terms of goals allowed, giving up an average of 3.2 goals per game.
Heading into this matchup vs. Montreal, goalie Semyon Varlamov has started 10 games in this season. His current record is 6-3, and his save percentage stands at 0.544%.
Will Montreal Secure A Victory as Home Underdogs?
This season, the Canadiens have put together an overall record of 12-14-4. When playing on the road, Montreal has gone 6-4-2, while their home record stands at 6-9-2. At the moment, they hold the 7th spot in the Eastern Atlantic division and are ranked 14th in the Eastern conference.
In terms of the puck line, Montreal are 17-12. When playing on the road against the puck line, they are 8-4, while their overall home performance is 9-8. On average, Montreal’s games have finished with 6.2 goals per game. The season’s average over/under line stands at 6.4. In total, the Canadiens come in with an over/under record of 13-15-1.
Montreal has played well in their previous three home games, going 2-1 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 2. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 2-1.
For their offensive performance, the Canadiens come in averaging 2.6 goals per game this season, which is 28th in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 24th in the league. So far this year, the Canadiens are 2-2 in games they have had more shots on goal than their opponent. They are 10-11 in games with fewer shots on goal.
Montreal’s leading scorer is Sean Monahan. So far, he has 9 goals which is 78th in the NHL. Monahan also comes into the game with 8 assists.
The Canadiens’ defense comes into the game with a ranking of 30th in takeaways and an average of 5 takeaways per contest. They hold 4th place in the NHL for goals allowed, with an average of 3.2 goals given up per game.
Goalie Sam Montembeault gets the start and has made 12 starts this season. His record at this point is 6-4, and his save percentage is 0.644%.