The Montreal Canadiens (20-18-4) travel to face off against the Utah Hockey Club (18-17-7) on Tuesday, January 14th. This game will be played at Delta Center in Salt Lake City and televised on ESPN+. Both the Canadiens and Hockey Club will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:00 ET.
Canadiens vs Hockey Club
The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Montreal’s 3-1 loss to the Penguins dropped their record to 20-18-4. The Canadiens entered as underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.
After falling behind 2-0, Montreal got on the board at 14:28 in the third period with a goal from Christian Dvorak. The Penguins sealed the game with an empty-net goal at 19:15.
The Utah Hockey Club Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
Utah Hockey Club fell to 18-17-7 after a 4-3 loss to the Golden Knights. Utah led 2-0 before Vegas tied it up with just one second left in the second period. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 7 goals went over that line. Utah was the underdog on the puck line.
Three different players scored for Utah in the loss. Logan Cooley opened the scoring at 11:52 in the first period, and Ian Cole added another goal at 12:00 in the second. But Vegas responded with four unanswered goals to secure the win.
Montreal Offense Breakdown
Montreal’s offense struggled in their 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh, with Christian Dvorak netting his first goal of the season at 14:28 in the third period. The Canadiens took 26 shots on goal but were held scoreless until Dvorak’s goal.
Montreal recorded 20 giveaways and failed to capitalize on any power play opportunities. Emil Heineman picked up his first assist of the season, while Juraj Slafkovsky added his 7th assist on Dvorak’s goal.
Hockey Club Offense Breakdown
Utah Hockey Club took 19 shots on goal but only found the net three times in their 4-3 loss to the Golden Knights. The team’s 13 giveaways didn’t help their offensive efforts. Alexander Kerfoot scored his second goal of the season, while Logan Cooley added his second and Ian Cole netted his first.
Cooley also picked up his 8th assist on Cole’s goal. Nick Bjugstad contributed with two assists, giving him 2 on the season, and Maveric Lamoureux recorded his first assist.
Montreal Team Defense
Defensively, the Canadiens will want to avoid another slow start, as they gave up the first two goals in their previous game against Pittsburgh. The first came at 15:57 in the first period, and the second was a power-play goal at 18:40 in the second. Montreal also allowed an empty-net goal late in the third. Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the Canadiens’ defense recorded 4 takeaways and 28 hits.
Utah Team Defense
Utah’s defense will be looking to bounce back after giving up four goals to the Golden Knights, including the game-winner 2:15 into overtime. Connor Ingram recorded 31 saves with a save percentage of 88.6%. The defense also finished with 21 hits and 8 takeaways.
Canadiens vs Hockey Club Trends
- Through their last ten road games, Montreal has an puck line record of just 7-3. However, their overall record was 6-4 while averaging 3 goals per game.
- Although Utah has a straight up record of 1-4 in their last five home games, they have not held up as well vs the puck line going 1-4. The team averaged 1 goals per game in these games.
- Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Hockey Club have gone 2-3 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 0-5.
- Against the spread, the Canadiens have put together 1-2 in their last three games as the betting favorite. In these same games, they went 2-1 straight up.
Canadiens vs Hockey Club Prediction
For a moneyline pick, I’m taking the Hockey Club to pick up on a win over the Canadiens at home. With the moneyline sitting at -159, I’ll be locking in a bet on the Hockey Club straight-up.
For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Canadiens to cover. Even if the Hockey Club secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, and the Canadiens should cover the puck line.
For those assessing the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will stay below that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the under.
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:January 14, 2025 Canadiens, Utah Hockey Club