The Columbus Blue Jackets (38-22-11) and Montreal Canadiens (39-21-10) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. EDT at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Canadiens are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 6.5 (-118o / -102u). The Canadiens are a -120 favorite to win outright, while the Blue Jackets are -100 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens predictions and NHL picks.
Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens Odds, Pick
| Blue Jackets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -235 | 6.5 -118o / -102u | -100 |
| Canadiens Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +199 | 6.5 -118o / -102u | -120 |
- Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens Spread: Canadiens -1.5 (+199 ), Blue Jackets +1.5 (-235)
- Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens Over/Under: 6.5 (-118o / -102u)
- Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens Moneyline: Blue Jackets -100, Canadiens -120
Blue Jackets vs Canadiens Polymarket Odds
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Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens Preview
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets are on a tear, and they couldn’t have found a better time for it.
Columbus has grabbed points in nine of its last 10 games, catapulting itself into second place of the Metropolitan Division. But the Metro is a dogfight. You have three teams in the Jackets, Penguins and Islanders going shot-for-shot with each other.
But what’s made Columbus so deadly as of late, has been Zach Werenski putting the team on his back. In what could be a Norris Trophy season, Werenski has posted nine points in his last five games.
The Jackets have played elite 5-on-5 hockey down the stretch, with a fourth best 56.88 xGF%, but what’s separated themselves is the defense. In the past two weeks, Columbus leads the league with a 2.17 xGA/60.
It hasn’t hurt that goaltending has been incredibly stable as well.
Given how strong the defense has been, it’s made Jet Greaves’ job a whole lot easier, and since returning from the Olympics, he’s played to a .911 SV%, as well as a 4.7 GSAx.
Montreal Canadiens
I’m not sure there’s a more exciting team than the Canadiens this season. You can make arguments for the Wild, Sabres, or the Ducks, but Montreal has one of the more dynamic cores in all of hockey.
Led by captain Nick Suzuki, the Habs are loaded up front with 44-goal scorer Cole Caufield, rookie sensation Ivan Demidov, former number one pick Juraj Slafkovsky, and 20-goal scorer Oliver Kapanen.
And that’s just up front. Because on the blue line, Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson have chipped in heavily on the offensive end, while holding down the fort in their own zone.
But like all young teams, Montreal has some trouble as a whole on the defensive side of the puck. Over the past two weeks, it’s let up a strong amount of opportunities by posting a 3.01 xGA/60.
Luckily, because of the talent up front, the offense makes up for it in a major way with a top-10 53.29 xGF% over the past two weeks.
For the brunt of the season, goaltending was a major problem, but Jakub Dobes has stepped up in a major way. Dobes is playing up to a .902 SV%, and a 9.6 GSAx over his last 10 starts.
Blue Jackets vs. Canadiens Prediction
Hockey is a romantic sport, and when you have two young and exciting teams going at it with the playoffs nearby, it’s like food for the soul.
Even better when you can make some cash off it.
Tonight gives Montreal a strong chance to play spoiler against a team who’s not just been red hot, but pull ahead in the standings – because teams like the Senators, Bruins and Red Wings are right on its tail.
As dynamic as these squads are, I actually think we see more of a chess match here.
While the Habs’ defense hasn’t been as strong, Dobes’ play has more than made up for it. And the Jackets have one of the best all around defenses in the league right now.
Usually when stakes get higher, the volatility drops, and that’s what I’m anticipating for tonight’s heavyweight duel.
Pick: Under 6.5 (-105, FanDuel)
