PublishedJanuary 15, 2024,            Posted By: Maria Uebelhor
Last updated:January 15, 2024 , ,

NHL: Avalanche vs. Montreal Canadiens Prediction 1/15/2024

The Colorado Avalanche (28-12-3) travel to face off against the Montreal Canadiens (17-19-7) on Monday, January 15th. This game will be played at Bell Centre in Montreal and televised on ESPN+. The Avalanche are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Canadiens are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Oilers. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Colorado Avalanche vs Montreal Canadiens

The Colorado Avalanche Are Coming Off A Win

Colorado comes into tonight’s game with a record of 28-12-3, which has them in 3rd place in the Western Conference. In their last 10 games, the Avalanche have gone 8-2 and have won three straight games. On the road this season, Colorado has gone 10-7-3, and they have won three straight games away from home. So far this season, the Avalanche have been favored in 38 of their 43 games and have gone 25-10-3 as the favorite.

For the year, Colorado has scored 3.4 goals per game, which is the 6th best average in the NHL. Defensively, they have given up 2.7 goals per game, which is 6th best in the league. In their last three games, the Avalanche have gone 3-0 and have outscored their opponents 15-6.

On the road, the Avalanche’s puck line record is 7-13, and their average scoring margin is -.2 goals per game. So far, Colorado has won 20 games by multiple goals and has a puck line record of 21-22.

Currently, the Avalanche’s puck line win streak is at two games, and their puck line record as the favorite is 18-20. In their last ten road games, Colorado’s puck line record is just 2-8.

The Avalanche most recently took on the Maple Leafs and secured a win with a score of 5-3. In the opening period, the Avalanche couldn’t find the net on offense, but they rebounded with two times in the second period and three goals in the third. Colorado’s one power-play goals contributed to their total of 5 goals. Their offensive performance came with 33 shots on goal and eight giveaways.

Going into the game, Colorado was the underdog, giving them a win vs. the puck line. With a combined total of 8 goals, the teams exceeded the over/under line of 6.5 goals set for the game.

The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

At home this season, the Canadiens have gone 8-12-3 and have dropped their last two games. In the Eastern Conference, Montreal is in 13th place and has a record of 17-19-7. Against other teams in the Atlantic Division, the Canadiens are 4-8.

Heading into tonight’s game, Montreal has lost three straight games and is 1-4 in their last five games. When playing as the underdog, the Canadiens have a record of 14-18-7 this season and have been the underdog in 38 of their 43 games.

At home this season, the Canadiens have gone 12-10 vs. the puck line, and their overall puck line record is 26-16. So far, they have had five wins by multiple goals and 12 wins by just one goal.

As the underdog, Montreal has a puck line record of 26-12, including going 3-0 in their last three games. Their average scoring margin this year is -.8 goals per contest.

Coming off a 2-1 loss at home to the Oilers, the Canadiens are hoping to bounce back today. In the first period on offense, the Canadiens managed to score one time, but that turned out to be the only scoring they could muster for the entire game. Their one goal came during a power play situation. In total, they took 24 shots on goal and had 9 giveaways.

Montreal went into the game as the underdogs, but they still managed to cover the puck line despite the loss. With a combined total of 3 goals, the game concluded below the over/under line of 6.5.

Colorado Offense Breakdown

On offense, the Avalanche are averaging 3.7 goals per game which is 2nd in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are 5th in the league. The Avalanche went 18-7 in games where they had more shots than their opponents. However, in games with fewer shots on goal, their record was 8-5.

This season, the Avalanche have an over/under record of 24-17-2. Throughout the season, they have played 24 games that went over the 6.5 over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is 6.8 per game.

Montreal Offense Breakdown

For their offensive performance, the Canadiens come in averaging 2.7 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. Montreal’s offense comes into the game ranked 20th in power play goals. And in terms of shorthanded goals, they are 13th in the NHL.

This season, the Canadiens have an over/under record of 21-20-1. Throughout last season, they played 42 games that did not exceed the 6.5 over/under line. On average, their games featured 6.6 goals per game.

Colorado Team Defense

In terms of defense, the Avalanche head into the game ranked 25th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 28.5 shots per game against Colorado. So far, they are 14th in shutouts, achieving 2 shutouts.

Montreal Team Defense

Entering the game, the Canadiens’ defense ranks 30th in takeaways, averaging 5.1 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.

Avalanche vs Canadiens Trends

  • Through their last five road games, Colorado has an puck line record of just 2-3. However, their overall record was 3-2 while averaging 3 goals per game.
  • In their last five home games, Montreal has averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. The team’s record in this stretch was 2-3 while going 3-2.
  • Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Montreal has an puck line mark of 3-0 while going 1-2 straight up.
  • Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Avalanche have a straight up record of 7-3. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 4-6.

Avalanche vs Canadiens Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Canadiens to defeat the Avalanche while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at +186, I’m placing a wager on the Canadiens to win outright.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Canadiens winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Canadiens straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

With an over/under line sitting at 6.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.