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The Colorado Avalanche (11-6-3) and Montreal Canadiens (12-3-4) will meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. EST at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC. The game will broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Canadiens are favored at -120 on the moneyline, with the Avalanche at +100 to pull off the upset. The over/under is set at 6.5 (+106o / -130u).
Let's get into our Avalanche vs. Canadiens predictions and NHL picks.
Avalanche vs. Canadiens Prediction
- Pick: Over 6.5 (+106)
Our Colorado vs. Montreal best bet is Over 6.5 total goals, with the best odds currently available at FanDuel. For all of your NHL bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NHL odds page.
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Avalanche vs Canadiens Odds
| Avalanche Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -250 | 6.5 106o / -130u | +100 |
| Canadiens Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +198 | 6.5 106o / -130u | -120 |
- Avalanche vs. Canadiens puck line: Avalanche +1.5 (-250), Canadiens -1.5 (+198)
- Avalanche vs. Canadiens over/under: 6.5 (+106o / -130u)
- Avalanche vs. Canadiens moneyline: Avalanche +100, Canadiens -120
- Avalanche vs. Canadiens best bet: Over 6.5 (+106)
Avalanche vs. Canadiens Preview
The Avalanche conclude their three-game Canadian road trip this evening against the surging Canadiens.
Colorado boasts one of the NHL’s most explosive offenses, ranking second in the league with 81 goals scored through 20 games (4.05 goals per game). Even with superstars Nathan MacKinnon (10 goals, 20 assists) and Cale Makar (5 goals, 18 assists) listed as day-to-day with lower-body injuries sustained in Thursday's overtime loss to Ottawa, the Avalanche possess plenty of scoring depth.
Artturi Lehkonen sits fifth in the NHL with 14 goals, while Martin Necas (24 points) and defenseman Devon Toews (19 points) continue to drive play. Colorado's aggressive style has frequently resulted in high-scoring affairs—the Avalanche rank 20th in goals against (62) and have gone 14-6 to the Over this season.
Montreal counters with an equally potent attack that has powered them to second place in the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens rank 12th in the league in both goals for (65) and goals against (57), averaging 3.42 goals per contest.
Cole Caufield leads the charge with 12 goals and 18 points, matched in point production by dynamic young defenseman Lane Hutson (3 goals, 15 assists), while captain Nick Suzuki adds 16 points in 13 games. Montreal enters off a 5-2 road win over Boston and has cashed the Over in 12 of its 19 games this season (12-7).
Our NHL PRO Game Projections highlight a clear edge on the total for this matchup. While the consensus market sits at 6.5, our model projects the true line at 6.89, giving the Over a 4.4% edge and a B- grade.
The betting market strongly agrees with our model. According to our public betting data, 87% of the tickets and 92% of the money are backing the Over, creating a heavy sharp-and-public consensus that has already pushed the best available market odds down to Over 6 at select books, so be sure to grab Over 6.5 at plus-money or standard juice if you can.
Beyond the projection edge, the recent game logs for both clubs scream goals. Eight of Colorado's last 11 games have cleared 6.5 total goals, including a wild 4-3 overtime loss in Ottawa on Thursday and a 6-3 win in Toronto earlier this week.
Meanwhile, Montreal has played fast and loose at the Bell Centre, seeing at least seven total goals in six of its last eight home games. Between Colorado's top-two scoring offense, leaky defensive metrics, and two teams combining for a 26-13 record to the Over this season, expect plenty of lamp-lighting in Montreal.
Best Bet: Over 6.5 (+106, FanDuel)
