This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Bets Today: Expert NHL Picks and Props for Canadiens vs. Golden Knights
The surprising Montreal Canadiens (5-2-1) kick off a three-game road trip against the Vegas Golden Knights (8-0-1) on Monday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Puck drop is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on ESPN+.
The Canadiens picked up a pair of 4-3 wins against the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets, with Saturday's victory over the Jets coming in a shootout, and the win over the Jackets coming in overtime. Montreal has scored 10 goals across the past three outings, averaging 3.4 goals per game (GPG), while allowing 3.7 PPG. It's no surprise that the Over has cashed in each of the three games since last Tuesday.
For the Golden Knights, it picked up a 4-3 win in a shootout against the Los Angeles Kings on the road Saturday, and it was on the short end of a 4-3 overtime loss against the Chicago Blackhawks on Nevada Day on Friday, it's only blemish, although VGK has yet to lose in regulation this season.
VGK has faced just one Eastern Conference foe to date, topping the Philadelphia Flyers last Tuesday by a 3-2 victory as the Under cashed. For Montreal, it has posted a 2-1-0 record in three tries against teams from the Western Conference, although this will be the first team from the West it faces on the road this season.
The Canadiens have picked up three of a possible four points in two road games to date, averaging 4.0 GPG on the road, while allowing 3.5 GPG.
The Golden Knights have won four consecutive meetings in this series, including a 4-3 win on home ice on March 5 last season, barely scraping by as a heavy favorite (-277). The Over has cashed in four consecutive meetings, too, with VGK tallying 19 goals, or 4.8 GPG, while Montreal has amassed 12 goals during the four-game skid, or 3.0 GPG.
The Habs are expected to use Jake Allen (3-0-1, 2.63 GAA, .930 SV%) in the crease, while the Knights are likely to counter with Stanley Cup hero Adin Hill (4-0-1, 2.16 GAA, .915 SV%).
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NHL Puck Line Bets for Canadiens vs. Golden Knights
- Golden Knights PL (-1.5, +106 at FanDuel)
Montreal has been lighting the lamp on a regular basis, picking up 3.1 GPG so far this season, despite the fact the Habs rank just 23rd in shots on goal (SOG). The Canadiens are strong on the power play, ranking 12th in the NHL with a 22.6% conversion rate.
Defensively, the Habs have yielded 36.5 SOG, which is second-to-last in the NHL, and it is just 19th on the penalty kill at 75.6%, which helps contribute to the Over.
The Golden Knights have rolled up 3.7 GPG to rank 8th in the league, and that's with just 29.2 SOG per game, which ranks 21st. Vegas has a so-so power play, too, checking in 13th overall at 21.9%. Defensively, VGK has locked it down, allowing only 2.2 GPG to rank 3rd in the NHL, while killing penalties at an 88.0% clip.
That being said, the lean is to the Over, based on the recent series trends, which has seen the total go high in four straight in the series. And the Habs have cashed the Over in the past three games overall, while the Golden Knights have hit the Over in four of the past five outings.
NHL Totals Bets for Canadiens vs. Golden Knights
- Over 6.5 (+100 at BetMGM)
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NHL Player Props for Canadiens vs. Golden Knights
Taking a look at the player props, there a solid options on both sides.
For the Canadiens, Jordan Harris is coming off a game that saw him block four shots against the Jets on Saturday. He also blocked two shots Thursday against the Blue Jackets, and two shots against the New Jersey Devils prior to that. He has 11 blocked shots in the past five outings, or 2.2 per game, with at least two in the four of those contests. As such, Harris is a strong value to block at least two shots.
- Jordan Harris Over 1.5 Blocked Shots (-120 at BetMGM)
As far as the home side is concerned, Alex Pietrangelo has struggled through four games, producing just a single point. As such, keep fading the veteran rearguard until he can start ticking off points on a regular basis.
- Alex Pietrangelo Under 0.5 Points (-130 at BetMGM)
Be sure to keep up with our up-to-the-minute NHL player props page to find the best values across the leading sportsbooks.
