The Columbus Blue Jackets (6-8-2) travel to face off against the Montreal Canadiens (5-10-2) on Saturday, November 16th. This game will be played at Bell Centre in Montreal and televised on ESPN+. Both the Blue Jackets and Canadiens will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens

The Columbus Blue Jackets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Columbus fell to 6-8-2 after a 7-2 road loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets were underdogs on the puck line and the total of 6.5 goals was surpassed, with the combined score reaching 9.

The Blue Jackets’ defense struggled from the start, allowing five goals in the first period. Damon Severson scored for Columbus at 19:11 in the second period, but the game was already out of reach by then.

The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Montreal’s 3-1 loss to the Penguins dropped their record to 5-10-2. The Canadiens entered the game as underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals. The combined 4 goals fell short of the over.

The Canadiens didn’t score until the 3rd period, when Christian Dvorak made it 2-1 at 14:28. The Penguins added an empty-net goal with 0:45 left to seal the win.

Columbus Offense Breakdown

Columbus took 36 shots on goal but only managed to score twice in their 7-2 loss to Washington. Damon Severson netted his fourth goal of the season, while Kevin Labanc added his second. The Blue Jackets were held scoreless in the first period before Severson got them on the board 49 seconds into the second period.

Columbus recorded 13 giveaways and failed to convert on any power play opportunities. Sean Monahan picked up his fifth assist of the season on Labanc’s goal, and Zach Aston-Reese earned his second assist.

Canadiens Offense Breakdown

Montreal’s offense generated 26 shots on goal but only found the net once in their 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh. Christian Dvorak scored his first goal of the season at 14:28 in the third period, with Emil Heineman and Juraj Slafkovsky picking up assists. It was Heineman’s first assist of the season, while Slafkovsky now has seven.

The Canadiens were held scoreless through the first two periods before Dvorak’s goal. They finished the game with 20 giveaways and didn’t score on the power play.

Columbus Team Defense

Columbus’ defense struggled early, giving up five goals in the first period, including two in the first 1:42. Daniil Tarasov made 15 saves but finished with a 68.2% save percentage. The Blue Jackets also allowed a late goal at 18:34 in the 3rd period, leading to a 7-2 loss.

Montreal Team Defense

Montreal’s defense gave up the first two goals in their recent loss to the Penguins, one at 15:57 in the first period and another at 18:40 in the second. After the Canadiens made it 2-1 in the 3rd, they conceded an empty-netter at 19:15. Goalie Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense had 4 takeaways and 28 hits.

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens Trends

• Across the Blue Jackets last ten road games, the team averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 4. Their record vs the puck line in these contests was 3-7, while going 1-9 straight-up.
• Montreal has a 1-2 record in their last three home games. In this stretch, they averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 4. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 2-1.
• Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Montreal has an puck line mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.
• As the betting favorite, the Blue Jackets have an puck line record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 2-1.

Blue Jackets vs Canadiens Prediction

For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Canadiens to secure a victory over the Blue Jackets at home. With the moneyline currently set at -139, I’m locking in my bet on the Canadiens straight-up.

If you’re looking for a puck line bet, I’d suggest going with the Blue Jackets to cover. Even in the event of a Canadiens victory, this game is expected to be closely fought, and the Blue Jackets should 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.

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

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* 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.