The Montreal Canadiens (16-17-3) travel to face off against the Vegas Golden Knights (25-8-3) on Tuesday, December 31st. This game will be played at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and televised on ESPN+. The Golden Knights 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 3:00 ET.

Canadiens vs Golden Knights

The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

After a 3-1 loss to the Penguins, the Canadiens are now 16-17-3 this season. Montreal’s defense allowed the first goal at 4:03 in the first period, and the Penguins added another in the second before the Canadiens got on the board in the third. Pittsburgh sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 19:15 in the final period.

The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined 4 goals fell short of that mark. Montreal, as underdogs on the puck line, failed to cover. Christian Dvorak scored the Canadiens’ only goal, finding the net at 14:28 in the third period.

The Vegas Golden Knights Are Coming Off A Win

The Golden Knights improved to 25-8-3 with a 4-3 win over Utah, but it wasn’t easy. Vegas fell behind 2-0 before rallying to tie the game in the second period. They eventually won in overtime, but failed to cover the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites.

The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 7 goals pushed it over. Four different players scored for the Golden Knights, with Brett Howden netting the game-winner at 2:15 in the overtime period.

Montreal Offense Breakdown

Montreal managed just one goal in their 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh, with Christian Dvorak netting his first of the season. Juraj Slafkovsky picked up his 7th assist, while Emil Heineman earned his 1st assist on Dvorak’s goal.

The Canadiens fired 26 shots on goal but were hampered by 20 giveaways. They were shut out through two periods before Dvorak’s goal at 14:28 in the third.

Golden Knights Offense Breakdown

In their recent 4-3 overtime win, the Golden Knights fired 35 shots on goal, with Brett Howden netting his 6th goal of the season, and William Karlsson adding his 2nd. Pavel Dorofeyev scored for the 7th time this year, while Noah Hanifin picked up his 2nd goal and two assists, bringing his assist total to 5.

After a scoreless first period, the Golden Knights got on the board with Dorofeyev’s goal at 4:54 in the second. Hanifin’s 2nd goal came at 19:59 in the same period. Karlsson scored in the third, and Howden secured the win with an overtime goal.

Montreal Team Defense

Montreal’s defense gave up the first two goals in their previous game, one at 15:57 in the first period and another at 18:40 in the second. The Canadiens cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third, but Pittsburgh added an empty-netter with 45 seconds left. Goalie Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense recorded 4 takeaways and 28 hits.

Vegas Team Defense

On the defensive side, the Golden Knights struggled early, giving up the first two goals—one at 8:08 in the first period and another at 8:00 in the second. After taking a 3-2 lead, they allowed Utah to tie the game at 3-3 with 6:50 left in the third period. Adin Hill made 16 saves with a save percentage of 84.2%, while the defense recorded 10 takeaways and 22 hits.

Canadiens vs Golden Knights Trends

• Across their last five road contests, Montreal has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 4-1. Their overall mark in these games was 3-2, while averaging 3 goals per game.
• Vegas has played well in their previous three home games, going 3-0 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 4 goals per game while allowing 1. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 3-0.
• Vegas has done well both straight up and vs the puck line when favored to win the game, going 2-1 SU and 2-1 puck line in their last three games.
• Montreal has done well both straight up and vs the puck line when favored to win the game, going 4-1 SU and 4-1 puck line in their last five games.

Canadiens vs Golden Knights Prediction

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Canadiens to take down the Golden Knights on the road. With the moneyline currently at +193, I’m placing my bet on the Canadiens straight-up.

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 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.