The New York Rangers (26-10-1) travel to face off against the Montreal Canadiens (16-17-5) on Saturday, January 6th. This game will be played at Bell Centre in Montreal. The Rangers are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Canadiens are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Sabres. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.
New York Rangers vs Montreal Canadiens
The New York Rangers Are Coming Off A Win
The Rangers come in with an overall record of 26-10-1. On the road, New York has a 13-5-1 record, whereas they are 13-5-0 at home. This record has them sitting 1st in the Eastern Metropolitan division and 1st in the Eastern conference. This season, New York’s average scoring margin is +.6, which has their puck line record at 19-18. Their average home scoring margin is +.6, and in road games, it stands at +.7.
The Rangers most recently faced the Blackhawks at home and achieved a 4-1 win. Against the Blackhawks, the Rangers’ offense scored in all three periods. Out of New York’s four goals, one were scored during power plays. They concluded the game with 32 shots on goal and had three giveaways.
Coming into the game favored by -1.5, New York also managed to pick up a victory against the puck line. Combining for 5 goals, the game finished below the over/under line of 6.5.
The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
The Canadiens come in with an overall record of 16-17-5. On the road, Montreal has a 9-7-3 record, whereas they are 7-10-2 at home. Their current record places them 6th in the Eastern Atlantic division and 13th in the Eastern conference. Montreal’s average scoring difference this season sits at -0.7, which has contributed to their overall puck line record of 23-15. When playing at home, they have a scoring margin of -1.1, and on the road, it is -0.4.
The Canadiens aim to bounce back following their 6-1 loss at home to the Sabres. The Canadiens couldn’t find the net offensively in the first or third periods against the Sabres, but they did score one time in the second period. With 33 shots on goal, Montreal’s offense managed to score their one goal while playing shorthanded.
As the underdog, Montreal suffered both a straight-up and loss vs. the puck line. The combined total of 7 goals exceeded the over/under line, which was set at 6.5 goals for the game.
New York Offense Breakdown
The Rangers come into the game scoring an average of 3.4 goals per game, putting them 11th in the NHL. Regarding shots targeted at the goal per game, they are 19th in the league. So far this year, the Rangers are 19-6 in games they have had more shots on goal than their opponent. They are 7-3 in games with fewer shots on goal.
So far, the Rangers have an over/under record of 18-16-3. Coming into the game, they have played 17 games that went beyond the 6 over/under line. Their games, on average, had 6.2 goals per game.
Montreal Offense Breakdown
For their offensive performance, the Canadiens come in averaging 2.7 goals per game this season, which is 28th in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 27th in the league. This season, the Canadiens have a 4-3 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. In games with fewer shots on goal, they hold a 12-14 record.
The Canadiens’ over/under record this season is 20-17-1. For the season, they have had 20 games that surpassed this game’s over/under line of 6. Overall, their games are averaging6.3 goals per game.
New York Team Defense
Defensively, the Rangers come into the season ranked 25th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 29.4 shots per game against New York. For the season, they are ranked 17th in shutouts, coming in with 2 shutouts.
Montreal Team Defense
The Canadiens’ defense comes into the game with a ranking of 30th in takeaways and an average of 5.2 takeaways per contest. They hold 5th place in the NHL for goals allowed, with an average of 3.3 goals given up per game.
Rangers vs Canadiens Trends
- The Rangers are 4-1 puck line in their last road games and 3-2 straight-up.
- Montreal has a 1-2 record in their last three home games. In this stretch, they averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 2-1.
- Going back to their previous five games as the underdog, Montreal has an puck line mark of 2-3 while going 1-4 straight up.
- Across their last five matchups as the betting favorite, the Rangers have an overall record of 3-2 while going 2-3 against the spread.
Rangers vs Canadiens Prediction
If you’re interested in a pure moneyline wager, then the Rangers is the preferred option. However, with a payout of -221, it might be worth considering this bet as a component of a larger parlay.
If you’re looking for a puck line bet, I’d suggest going with the Canadiens to cover. Even in the event of a Rangers victory, this game is expected to be closely fought, and the Canadiens should cover the puck line.
For those looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet 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:January 6, 2024 Uncategorized