Canadiens vs. Red Wings odds

On By Littum

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)
  • Total Games: 6 (Over -110, Under -110)

Sports betting via Sports Interaction.

Handicap of Red Wings (13-18 SU, 19-12 ATS, 13-7-2 O/U)

Detroit got a day off 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 host Montreal on Friday before traveling to Saturday’s game. This marks Detroit’s fourth game in six days, and the Wings were down to five defensemen 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 .949 save percentage in 11 career games. Meanwhile, Lyon is 4-1-0 against Montreal and has a 2.78 goals-against average and .895 save percentage in five career games. Despite strong goaltending performances, Detroit still ranks in the bottom 10 of the league in goals against, largely due to defensive struggles. The Red Wings are 25th in expected goals against and 28th in shots attempted against, and they fail to give their goaltenders enough support.

Offensively, Detroit ranks 25th in both goals against and expected goals against, 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 that could be an opportunity for Detroit to get right on the power play.

Handicap of Canadiens (12-19 SU, 15-16 ATS, 16-13-2 O/U)

Montreal has delivered a mixed bag of results in December, from blowout wins to blowout losses and everything in between. Their most recent performance was a dominating 6-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres, handing the Buffalo Sabers their 11th straight loss. But 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 have struggled on the road, winning just three of 10 games away from the Bell Centre. That said, they have faced tougher competition on the road than at home, and the Red Wings are among the weaker teams they will have to play. After all, Detroit only has one more win than Montreal.

Of course, it will take a miracle for Montreal to win both of these games, as they only have one valuable goaltending option. Sam Montembeault has been solid for the third straight season, but Cayden Primeau has been so bad that head coach Martin St. Louis has gone weeks without starting him. Montembeault and Talbot rank 11th and 14th, respectively, in goals saved above expectation, according to Evolving Hockey, while Lyon has been average. However, average is much better than Primeau, which ranks third-worst in that category.

The Canadiens may have a better offense than Detroit, especially if their scoring depth continues to emerge, but it’s 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 streak, but it’s not enough. The rest of the top six, including scoring leaders Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, have combined for just six goals in the month of December.

Best Bet 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: Draw (+310) at Sports Interaction

Detroit has won seven of its last 10 games against the Canadiens, including three in a row, 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 under in those 10 games, the teams have combined for nine goals in each of the last three. Detroit has only covered the puck line once in this stretch. This looks like a hotly contested game now that Montembeault is confirmed to start.

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