Canadian Tire Centre will be the site for an Atlantic Division showdown as the Ottawa Senators welcome the visiting Montreal Canadiens. TVA Sports will broadcast the matchup, and the action gets underway at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 20.
Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators Odds
Ottawa (+100) is currently the underdog to Montreal (-120), and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting that total stand at -120 for the under and +100 for the over.
Montreal is 4-2 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 3.5 units this year. That winning percentage, ranked third in the Atlantic Division so far this season, is a welcomed improvement over the 29-53 record from last year’s regular season campaign. Three of its games have gone under the total, while two have gone over and one has pushed. The Habs are 1-1 SU on the road in 2018-19.
The Canadiens have found the net on 15.4 percent of their power play chances thus far. That’s a noticeable drop-off from last year, when they were ranked ninth in the league by scoring on 21.3 percent of their extra-man advantages. Their penalty kill has fallen off noticeably since last year, as they’ve gone from successfully defending 74.1 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked 30th overall last year) to 72.2 percent this year.
For the team as a whole, the Habs have been penalized 3.7 times per game this season, a number that is pretty close to the 3.8 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 8.6 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays for 9.7 minutes per outing this year.
Boasting a .912 save percentage and 23.3 saves per game, Carey Price (2-2-1) has been the best option in goal for Montreal this season. If head coach Claude Julien decides to rest him, however, Montreal may turn to Antti Niemi (2-0 record, .893 save percentage, 2.88 goals against average).
The visiting Canadiens have relied heavily on Tomas Tatar and Brendan Gallagher this season. Tatar (eight points) is up to three goals and five assists this season; Gallagher has four goals and one assist to his name through the early stages of the regular season.
On the other side of the ice, Ottawa is 3-3 straight up (SU) and has earned 2.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. Four of its contests have gone over the total, while one has gone under and one has pushed. So far this year, the team’s 2-2 SU as the home team.
The Senators have killed off a remarkable 78.3 percent of all penalties, compared to 76.1 percent a year ago (when they were ranked 27th in the NHL). They’ve scored on 27.8 percent of their power plays this year after converting on 16.5 percent (ranked 26th in league) last season.
Ottawa players have been penalized 4.7 times per game this season, a number that has risen noticeably from the 3.5 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 8.1 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team’s had to kill penalties for 9.7 minutes per outing this season.
Craig Anderson has stopped 36.8 shots per game as the top option in goal for the Senators. Anderson has three wins, two losses, and one overtime loss to his name and has maintained a .925 save percentage and 3.02 goals against average this year.
The Sens will be led on offense by Thomas Chabot (two goals, six assists) and Chris Tierney (two goals, six assists).
Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators Betting Picks
NHL Pick: SU Winner – Canadiens, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Trends
After posting a 2-6 record in games decided by a shootout last year, Montreal is off to a 1-0 start in shootouts this season. Ottawa went 2-7 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
The total has gone over in three of Ottawa’s last five outings.
Montreal skaters registered 26.5 hits per game last season, while the Senators logged 24.0 hits per contest.
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