The Montreal Canadiens (23-28-8) travel to face off against the Florida Panthers (39-16-4) on Thursday, February 29th. This game will be played at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise and televised on ESPN+. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Canadiens vs Panthers

The Montreal Canadiens Are Coming Off A Win

Montreal comes into tonight’s game in 14th place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 23-28-8. On the road, the Canadiens have gone 11-12-5 this season and have lost three straight games away from home. Against other teams from the Eastern Conference, Montreal has gone 12-21.

Over their last ten games, the Canadiens have gone just 3-7 and have lost four of their last five games. As the underdog this season, Montreal has gone 19-27-8.

Montreal comes into the game with an average scoring differential of -.7 goals per game. So far, they have 15 one-goal wins and 18 one-goal losses.

On the season, Montreal has a puck line record of 37-22, including going 2-1 against the puck line in their last three games. As the underdog, the Canadiens have a puck line record of 36-18.

The Canadiens recently hosted the Coyotes and emerged victorious with a 4-2 win. The Canadiens’ offense scored in each period against the Coyotes. In the game, Montreal managed to score all four goals at even strength. They concluded with 21 shots on goal and committed 18 turnovers.

Entering the game as the underdog, Montreal came away with a victory against the puck line. The game concluded with 6 goals, resulting in a push on the over/under.

The Florida Panthers Are Coming Off A Win

With a record of 39-16-4, the Florida Panthers sit in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference and 1st in the Atlantic Division. Over their last 10 games, the Panthers have gone 8-2 and have won their last two games. At home this season, Florida is 19-8-2 and has won five straight games at home. In games where they have been favored, the Panthers have gone 34-12-2, including a current streak of eight straight wins as the favorite.

Over their last five games, Florida has gone 4-1 and has a record of 22-8 against Eastern Conference opponents. Against teams in the Atlantic Division, the Panthers are 10-4 this season. So far this year, Florida has been favored in 48 of their 59 games.

Florida comes into the game with a puck line record of 29-30 and an average scoring margin of +.9 goals per game. Their puck line record at home is 10-19, and they have gone 6-4 against the puck line in their last ten games.

So far this season, the Panthers have won 24 games by multiple goals compared to 15 wins by just one goal. In their last three games, their puck line record is 1-2, and their puck line record at home is just 3-7 in their last ten games.

In their recent matchup, the Panthers hosted the Sabres and came away with a 3-2 victory. The Panthers managed to find the net one time in the 3rd period against the Sabres, following their two goals in the first period. Of Florida’s three goals, two were scored while in power play situations. Their game ended with 37 shots on goal and 10 giveaways.

Despite the straight-up win, Florida did not cover the puck line, as they were favored by -1.5. The game finished below the over/under line of 6 with a combined total of 5 goals.

Montreal Offense Breakdown

On the offensive side, the Canadiens are scoring an 2.8 goals per game this season, ranking 27th in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 27th in the league. In terms of the Canadiens’ offense during power plays, they are 18th in power play goals and 17th in shorthanded goals.

The Canadiens come in with an over/under record of 30-27-2. Over the season, there have been 30 games that have surpassed the 6.5 over/under line. Their games, on average, are at 6.4 goals per game.

Panthers Offense Breakdown

In terms of their offensive performance, the Panthers are averaging 3.3 goals per game this season, putting them in the 12th spot in the NHL. When it comes to shots on goal per game, they are ranked 1st in the league. This year, the Panthers have recorded a 28-14 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. For games with fewer shots on goal, they have a 8-2 record.

The Panthers’ over/under record this season is 20-37-2. For the season, they have had 39 games failing to surpass this game’s over/under line of 6.5. Overall, their games are averaging 5.7 goals per game.

Montreal Team Defense

Defensively, the Canadiens are currently 3rd in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 33.2 shots per game against Montreal. They also are 27th in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.

Florida Team Defense

Defensively, the Panthers are currently 29th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 27.5 shots per game against Florida. They also are 10th in shutouts, coming in with 4 shutouts.

Canadiens vs Panthers Trends

• Through their last ten road contests, the Canadiens offense has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing an average of 4. Montreal posted an overall record of 3-7 while going 6-4 ATS.
• Although Florida has a straight up record of 5-0 in their last five home games, they have not held up as well vs. the puck line going 2-3. The team averaged 3 goals per game in these games.
• Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Panthers have gone 5-0 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 2-3.
• Through their last three matchups as the betting favorite, the Canadiens have a good straight up record, but their puck line mark is just 1-2.

Canadiens vs Panthers Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Canadiens to defeat the Panthers while playing on the road. Given the current moneyline odds at +250, 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.

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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.