The Montreal Canadiens (18-18-7) travel to face off against the New Jersey Devils (22-16-3) on Wednesday, January 17th. This game will be played at Prudential Center in Newark and televised on ESPN+. The Canadiens are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Devils are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Bruins. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Canadiens vs Devils

The Montreal Canadiens Are Coming Off A Win

So far this season, the Canadiens have gone 18-18-7 overall, including a 9-12 record against Eastern Conference opponents. In the Atlantic Division, Montreal is in 6th place and has gone 4-8 against divisional foes. On the road, the Canadiens have gone 9-7-4 this year.

Over their last ten games, Montreal has gone just 3-7 and enters this game having lost two of their last three games. Against the spread this year, the Canadiens are 15-17-7 as the underdog and 2-3 in their last five games.

Montreal enters the game with an average scoring margin of -.7 goals per game. So far this year, the Canadiens have 13 one-goal losses and 12 losses by more than one goal.

As the underdog, Montreal has a puck line record of 27-12. Their average scoring margin on the road is -.4 goals per game.

The Canadiens played host to the Avalanche in their previous game and emerged with a 4-3 win. Throughout the game against the Avalanche, Canadiens’ offense managed to score in every single period. Out of Montreal’s four goals, two were scored during power plays. They concluded the game with 34 shots on goal and had nine giveaways.

Despite being the underdog, Montreal managed to secure a win against the puck line in the game. The teams surpassed the over/under line, which was set at 6.5 goals, with a combined total of 7 goals.

The New Jersey Devils Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Heading into today’s game, the Devils sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 22-16-3. In games against Eastern Conference opponents, New Jersey is 15-10, and they have gone 7-5 against divisional opponents.

Over their last ten games, the Devils have gone 6-4, and they have won five straight games when they have been favored. At home this season, New Jersey has gone 9-9-2.

At home this season, the Devils have gone just 2-18 vs. the puck line and their overall puck line record is at 13-28. So far, New Jersey has 11 losses by two or more goals, and their average scoring margin at home is -.4 goals per game.

Overall, the team’s puck line record when favored is at 9-22, and their average scoring margin when favored is at +.3 goals per game. In their last ten home games, the team’s puck line record is just 1-9.

Coming off a 3-0 loss on the road to the Bruins, the Devils are hoping to bounce back today. In the game against the Bruins, New Jersey’s offense had a tough time and didn’t score a single goal. While being shutout, the Devils’ offense finished with 5 giveaways and took a total of 31 shots on goal.

As the underdog, New Jersey suffered both a straight-up and loss vs. the puck line. The game ended below the over/under line of 6, with a combined total of 3 goals.

Montreal Offense Breakdown

Offensively, the Canadiens come into the game at 2.7 goals per contest placing 28th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 28th position in the league. Looking at how the Canadiens’ offense is performing during power plays, they are 19th in power play goals and 13th in shorthanded goals.

This season, the over/under record for the Canadiens’ is 22-20-1. Over the course of the season, they have had 22 games that exceeded the over/under line of 6.5. On average, their games are averaging 6.2 goals per game.

Devils Offense Breakdown

When looking at their offense, the Devils have an average of 3.5 goals per game this season, positioning themselves 10th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are ranked 22nd in the league. Coming into the game, the Devils have a 16-7 record when they have more shots on goal than their opponent. When they have fewer shots on goal, they are 6-8.

This season, the Devils have an over/under record of 25-15-1. Throughout the season, they have played 26 games that went over the 6.5 over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is 7 per game.

Montreal Team Defense

Coming into the game, the Canadiens’ defense is 30th in takeaways at 5.2 takeaways per contest. Overall, they are giving up 3.2 goals per game which is 4th in the NHL.

New Jersey Team Defense

Coming into the game, the Devils’ defense is 18th in takeaways at 6.7 takeaways per contest. Overall, they are giving up 3.2 goals per game which is 28th in the NHL.

Canadiens vs Devils Trends

• When looking at their past three road matchups, Montreal has an puck line record of 3-0 while averaging 3 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
• Although New Jersey has a straight up record of 3-2 in their last five home games, they have not held up as well vs. the puck line going 1-4. The team averaged 3 goals per game in these games.
• Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Devils have gone 2-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
• Although the Canadiens have a strong straight up record in their last three games as the betting favorite, they have not done as well vs the puck line going 0-3.

Canadiens vs Devils Prediction

If you’re interested in a pure moneyline wager, then the Devils is the preferred option. However, with a payout of -213, it might be worth considering this bet as a component of a larger parlay.

For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Canadiens to cover. Even if the Devils secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, 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.