The Montreal Canadiens (22-27-8) travel to face off against the New Jersey Devils (28-24-4) on Saturday, February 24th. This game will be played at Prudential Center in Newark and televised on ESPN+. Both the Canadiens and Devils will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 2:00 ET.
Canadiens vs Devils
The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Heading into tonight’s game, the Canadiens are in 14th place in the Eastern Conference standings and 7th in the Atlantic Division. On the season, Montreal is 22-27-8 and has lost four straight games. Over their last ten contests, the Canadiens have gone just 3-7.
When playing on the road this year, Montreal is 11-11-5, and they have lost two straight games away from home. As the underdog, the Canadiens have gone 18-26-8 on the season and have lost six straight games in that role. In Eastern Conference games, Montreal has gone 12-20.
Montreal enters the game with an average scoring differential of -.8 goals per game and a puck line record of 35-22. Their puck line record as the underdog is 34-18, and they have 15 wins by just one goal.
So far this year, the Canadiens have been the underdog in all but five games, and their average scoring differential on the road is -.7 goals per game. In their last ten road games, the team’s puck line record is 6-4.
Coming off a 4-1 loss on the road to the Penguins, the Canadiens are hoping to bounce back today. Offensively, the Canadiens got off to a good start by scoring one time in the first period, but that was the extent of their scoring for the game. Montreal’s’s lone goal during the game occurred at even strength. They ended with 31 shots on goal in total.
As the underdog, Montreal suffered both a straight-up and loss vs. the puck line. The over/under line for the game was 6, and it concluded with a combined total of 5 goals.
The New Jersey Devils Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Heading into the game, the Devils sit 10th in the Eastern Conference with 60 points and an overall record of 28-24-4. In their last ten games, New Jersey has gone 4-6 and have lost two straight games. At home this season, the Devils are 13-14-2.
Against teams in the Eastern Conference, the Devils have gone 17-16 on the season. When favored, New Jersey has gone 23-15-2 this year and have lost two straight games when favored. In their last five games, the Devils have gone 2-3.
At home this season, the Devils have a puck line record of just 5-24 and their average scoring differential is -.4 goals per game. So far, they have 19 losses by more than one goal.
Overall, New Jersey’s puck line record is 20-36, and they have gone just 12-28 vs. the puck line when favored. In their last ten home games, the Devils have a puck line mark of just 3-7.
Following a 5-1 loss at home to the Rangers, the Devils are eager to bounce back. Offensively, the Devils couldn’t find the net in the first two periods, but they made a comeback with one goal in the third period. Against New York, New Jersey’s offense scored their only goal at even strength. They recorded 40 shots on goal overall.
In this game, New Jersey was favored by -1.5, but they suffered a loss against the puck line. The over/under line for the game was 6.5, and it concluded with a combined total of 6 goals.
Montreal Offense Breakdown
The Canadiens come into the game scoring an average of 2.7 goals per game, putting them 27th in the NHL. Regarding shots targeted at the goal per game, they are 26th in the league. The Canadiens went 5-6 in games where they had more shots than their opponents. However, in games with fewer shots on goal, their record was 17-20.
The Canadiens come in with an over/under record of 29-27-1. Over the season, there have been 29 games that have surpassed the 6.5 over/under line. Their games, on average, are at 6.4 goals per game.
Devils Offense Breakdown
When looking at their offense, the Devils have an average of 3.3 goals per game this season, positioning themselves 12th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are ranked 10th in the league. So far this year, the Devils are 20-12 in games they have had more shots on goal than their opponent. They are 8-11 in games with fewer shots on goal.
This season, the Devils have an over/under record of 32-23-1. Throughout the season, they have played 33 games that went over the 6.5 over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is 6.8 per game.
Montreal Team Defense
Defensively, the Canadiens come into the season ranked 3rd in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 33.3 shots per game against Montreal. For the season, they are ranked 27th in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.
New Jersey Team Defense
The Devils’ defense comes into the game with a ranking of 15th in takeaways and an average of 6.9 takeaways per contest. They hold 24th place in the NHL for goals allowed, with an average of 3.2 goals given up per game.
Canadiens vs Devils Trends
- Through their last five road contests, the Canadiens offense has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing an average of 5. Montreal posted an overall record of 1-4 while going 2-3 ATS.
- When looking at their past ten home matchups, New Jersey has an puck line record of 3-7 while averaging 3 per game. The team went 4-6 overall in these games.
- In their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Devils have a straight up record of 3-7 and an puck line mark of 6-4.
- Going back to their last ten games as the favorite, the Canadiens have a straight up record of 6-4. But, their mark vs the puck line was just 3-7.
Canadiens vs Devils Prediction
For those seeking a straight moneyline bet, the Devils are the top choice. Nonetheless, with a payout of -237, you might want to use this bet as a part of a parlay to get better odds.
When it comes to my suggested pick for the puck line, I’d advise taking the Canadiens to cover. Even in the event of a Devils victory, this matchup is likely to remain closely contested, and the Canadiens should cover the puck line.
When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6.5 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering 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.
Last updated:February 24, 2024 Canadiens, Devils