The Montreal Canadiens and Vancouver Canucks will play their third game against each other in the last four days when the two face off on Saturday, Jan. 23. This game will get started at 7 p.m. ET from Vancouver’s Rogers Arena.
Montreal comes in with a 3-0-2 record through five games, which gives the Canadiens eight points, tied for the top of the seven-team, all-Canadian North Division along with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Montreal is one of six teams without a regulation loss so far this season. As for Vancouver, it has gotten off to a bit of a slow start with a 2-4 overall record for four points in the division, tied with the Edmonton Oilers for fifth place and ahead of only the Ottawa Senators.
Season series
With the unique format to the 2021 NHL season, teams are set to play in these mini series where they will see the same opponent multiple times in a row. All three of these games will have been played in Vancouver.
Montreal and Vancouver got together on Wednesday, Jan. 20, and the Canucks earned the 6-5 win in a shootout. Montreal led with 3:41 to go in the third period when Tyler Toffoli scored for his third hat track of his career. The Canucks came back and scored 32 seconds later when Brock Boeser scored his second goal of the night.
Overtime went by without a score, and Bo Horvat made the game-winning goal in the shootout. He had scored a pair of goals in regulation as well.
In the second game, Montreal got the best of the Canucks as the offense exploded for a 7-3 victory on Thursday, Jan. 21. This game was tied at two goals apiece before the Canadiens rallied in the second period including a stretch where they scored three goals in the span of 94 seconds to break the game open. Toffoli scored twice in this game, as did Joel Armia for Montreal.
After a day off for both teams, Montreal and Vancouver are set to play one more game before moving on to face different opponents in the North Division.
For Montreal, Armia suffered a concussion in Thursday’s game and will not be able to play. He is expected to be out at least until Jan. 28. In addition, Paul Byron is listed as day-to-day with a foot injury suffered in the same game.
On the Vancouver side, Alexander Edler and Jalen Chatfield are listed as day to day with upper body injuries. In addition, Travis Hamonic, Micheal Ferland and Jayce Hawryluk are on injured reserve. Hamonic is expected to be out till Jan. 28 at least, while Hawryluk and Ferland are out until Feb. 1 at the earliest.
Betting Odds
Below are a list of betting odds for Saturday night’s game along with some of the betting trends to watch for as we get closer to the start of this matchup. All odds are via a popular United States sportsbook.
Puck line
The Canadiens’ puck line of -1.5 is set at +155 odds with Vancouver’s +1.5 spread at -186.
Trend: All three of Montreal’s victories this season came by more than 1.5 goals. In addition, all four of Vancouver’s losses have come by more than 1.5 goals.
Total goals
Oddsmakers set the over/under on total goals at 6.5 with a slight edge toward the under. Taking the under currently has -122 odds with the over at +100.
Trend: The total went over in five of Vancouver’s last six games.
Moneyline
As you might imagine, the sportsbook is suggesting Montreal should win this game on the moneyline as the Canadiens have -157 to earn the outright victory on the road with the Canucks odds at +135 to pull off the upset.
Trend: Montreal is 9-2 straight up in its last 11 games against Vancouver.
