NHL betting preview (Dec. 20): Canadiens vs. Red Wings odds
Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Friday’s matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings.
Canadiens vs. Red Wings Odds
- Montreal Canadiens Moneyline: +125
- Detroit Red Wings Moneyline: -150
- Puck Line: Canadiens +1.5 (-190), Red Wings -1.5 (+155)
- Game Total: 6 (Over -110, Under -110)
Game odds via Sports Interaction.
Handicapping the Red Wings (13-18 SU, 19-12 ATS, 13-7-2 O/U)
Detroit earned itself a day off on Thursday after a back-and-forth 6-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday. The canceled practice gave the team a chance to rest before back-to-back games against the Canadiens. The Red Wings will host Montreal on Friday before traveling for Saturday’s game. This marks Detroit’s fourth game in six days, and the Wings were down to five defensemen on Wednesday.
Wednesday’s win was Detroit’s third in its last four games after snapping a five-game losing streak. The Red Wings have a chance to build momentum heading into the holiday break, now that both goaltenders are healthy. Alex Lyon made his first start since Nov. 25, and starter Cam Talbot is expected to return this weekend after being sidelined with a lower-body injury since Dec. 12.
Talbot boasts an 8-2-1 record against the Canadiens, with a stellar 1.34 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage in 11 career games. Meanwhile, Lyon is 4-1-0 against Montreal, posting a 2.78 goals-against average and an .895 save percentage in five career matchups. Despite strong goaltending performances, Detroit still ranks among the league’s bottom 10 in goals against, largely due to defensive struggles. The Red Wings sit 25th in expected goals against and 28th in shot attempts against, failing to provide their goaltenders with adequate support.
Offensively, Detroit ranks 25th in both goals for and expected goals for, with only five teams generating fewer shot attempts in all situations. While the Red Wings have a top-10 power play, their penalty kill is the league’s second-worst. This could be a concern against a Canadiens team that performs well on the man advantage. Then again, the Canadiens also take the most penalties per game, so it could be an opportunity for Detroit to get right on the power play.
Handicapping the Canadiens (12-19 SU, 15-16 ATS, 16-13-2 O/U)
Montreal has delivered a mix of results in December, from blowout wins to blowout losses and everything in between. Their most recent performance was a dominant 6-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres, handing the Buffalo Sabres their 11th straight loss. However, in the game before that, the Penguins defeated them 9-2 in front of their home fans.
Friday marks the start of a challenging stretch for Montreal, with 10 of their next 13 games on the road. While the Canadiens have a solid 9-7-2 record at home, they’ve struggled on the road, winning just three of 10 games away from the Bell Centre. That said, they’ve faced tougher competition on the road than at home, and the Red Wings are among the weaker teams they’ll have to play. Detroit does have just one more win than Montreal, after all.
Of course, it’s going to take a miracle for Montreal to win both of these games given that they only have one worthwhile goaltending option. Sam Montembeault has been solid for a third season in a row, but Cayden Primeau has been so bad that head coach Martin St. Louis has gone weeks without starting him. Montembeault and Talbot are ranked 11th and 14th in goals saved above expected, respectively, according to Evolving Hockey, while Lyon has been average. Average is a lot better than Primeau, though, who ranks third-worst in that category.
The Canadiens might have a better attack than Detroit, especially if their depth scoring continues to show up, but it’ll be up to the top stars to step up. Patrik Laine has six power play goals in seven games, and Juraj Slafkovsky recently ended an eight-game goalless drought, but it’s not enough. The rest of the top-six, including scoring leaders Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, have combined to score just six goals in the month of December.
Best Bets for Canadiens vs. Red Wings
- Patrik Laine Anytime Goal (+210) at Sports Interaction
Laine has fired 12 shots on goal from 17 attempts in his last two games, highlighted by a hat trick in his most recent outing. The 26-year-old, who recently became the first player in franchise history to score his first six goals on the power play, faces Detroit’s 31st-ranked penalty kill. The Red Wings have also allowed the fifth-most shot attempts in the league this season.
- 3-Way Regular Time Result: Tie (+310) at Sports Interaction
Detroit has won seven of its past 10 games against the Canadiens, including three straight, with seven of those contests decided in overtime or a shootout. The last four meetings have all gone to extra time. While the matchup is 6-4 to the under in those 10 games, the teams have combined for nine goals in each of the last three. Detroit has covered the puck line just once in this stretch. This projects as a tightly contested game now that Montembeault is confirmed to start.