The Montreal Canadiens (14-17-3) travel to face off against the Florida Panthers (22-12-2) on Saturday, December 28th. This game will be played at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise and televised on ESPN+. The Panthers are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Canadiens are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Penguins. Puck drop is set for 1:00 ET.

Canadiens vs Panthers

The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Montreal’s 3-1 loss to the Penguins dropped their record to 14-17-3. The Canadiens entered as underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined 4 goals fell short of that mark.

Christian Dvorak scored Montreal’s only goal, coming in the third period. The Penguins had already scored twice before that, and they added an empty-net goal to seal the win.

The Florida Panthers Are Coming Off A Win

Florida improved to 22-12-2 with a 4-2 road win over the Stars. The Panthers covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6.5 goals was not reached, as the combined score was 6.

Four different Panthers found the net in this one. Florida held a 2-0 lead before the Stars tied it up, but the Panthers scored twice in the third period to secure the win.

Montreal Offense Breakdown

Christian Dvorak netted his first goal of the season in the Canadiens’ 3-1 loss to the Penguins, with Emil Heineman picking up his first assist and Juraj Slafkovsky adding his 7th. Montreal fired 26 shots on goal but only managed to find the net once.

After two scoreless periods, Dvorak’s goal came at 14:28 in the third. The Canadiens struggled with giveaways, recording 20 in the game.

Panthers Offense Breakdown

Florida’s offense was led by A.J. Greer, who netted his first goal of the season. Sam Reinhart added his 10th goal, scoring on an empty net and also picking up his 11th assist. The Panthers had four different players find the back of the net in their 4-2 win over the Stars.

After Evan Rodrigues opened the scoring in the first period, Matthew Tkachuk added his third goal of the season, which came on a power play. Florida took 25 shots on goal and recorded 16 giveaways.

Montreal Team Defense

Defensively, the Canadiens gave up the first two goals, both scored by Sidney Crosby, and a late empty-netter to the Penguins. Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage. Montreal’s defense also recorded 4 takeaways and 28 hits.

Florida Team Defense

Defensively, the Panthers will look to carry over their third-period performance, where they held the Stars scoreless after giving up two goals in the second. Spencer Knight made 23 saves with a 92% save percentage, while the defense added 8 takeaways and 22 hits.

Canadiens vs Panthers Trends

• In their last five road games, Montreal has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 4. The team’s record in this stretch was 1-4 while going 3-2.
• When looking at their past three home matchups, Florida has an puck line record of 1-2 while averaging 1 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.
• The Panthers have played well in their last five games as the betting underdog, going 4-1 straight up and 4-1 against the spread.
• As the betting favorite, the Canadiens have an puck line record of 3-2 in their last five games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 4-1.

Canadiens vs Panthers Prediction

If you’re interested in a pure moneyline wager, then the Panthers is the preferred option. However, with a payout of -327, it might be worth considering this bet as a component of a larger parlay.

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

For those looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet 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.