Golden Knights vs Canadiens: NHL Preview & Picks, 03/05/23

Odds

2021-2022 season stats

Preview

The Vegas Golden Knights will host the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, March 6th, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. The Golden Knights are coming off a thrilling shootout victory against the New Jersey Devils, and they currently hold the top spot in the Pacific Division with a 36-19-6 record. The Canadiens, on the other hand, are struggling this season, sitting in eighth place in the Atlantic Division with a 26-31-4 record. This will be the second meeting between these two teams this season, with the Golden Knights winning the first matchup 6-4. In this article, I will provide a detailed preview of both teams and make a final prediction.

Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens are having a disappointing season, and they currently sit in eighth place in the Atlantic Division with a 26-31-4 record. They have struggled both offensively and defensively, ranking 26th in the league in goals per game (2.60) and 28th in goals against per game (3.33). The Canadiens have also struggled on the road this season, with a 12-17-3 record away from home.

The Canadiens' top scorer this season has been Cole Caufield, who has 26 goals and 10 assists. Caufield is a talented young player who has shown flashes of brilliance this season, but he will not be available for this game due to a shoulder injury. Jonathan Drouin has also been a key player for the Canadiens, with one goal and seven assists over his last 10 games. However, the Canadiens will need more contributions from their supporting cast if they hope to compete with the Golden Knights.

Defensively, the Canadiens have struggled to keep pucks out of their own net, allowing an average of 3.33 goals against per game. Their penalty kill has also been a weakness, ranking 26th in the league at just 76.5%. The Canadiens will need to tighten up defensively and stay out of the penalty box if they hope to compete with the high-powered offense of the Golden Knights.

INJURIES: Sean Monahan: out (foot), Brendan Gallagher: out (lower body), Carey Price: out (knee), Juraj Slafkovsky: out (lower-body), Kirby Dach: out (lower body), Arber Xhekaj: out for season (upper-body), Chris Wideman: out (upper body), Paul Byron: out (hip), Justin Barron: day to day (upper body), Cole Caufield: out for season (shoulder), Joel Armia: out (illness), Jake Evans: out (lower-body).

Las Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights have been one of the top teams in the league this season, sitting in first place in the Pacific Division with a 36-19-6 record. They have been a dominant team at home, with a 20-13-1 record at the T-Mobile Arena. The Golden Knights boast one of the top offenses in the league, ranking third in goals per game (3.39) and ninth in power-play percentage (23.7%).

The Golden Knights are led by Jack Eichel, who has 22 goals and 23 assists in just 40 games this season. Eichel is a dynamic playmaker who can create scoring chances for himself and his teammates. Jonathan Marchessault has also been a key player for the Golden Knights, with four goals and five assists over his last 10 games. The Golden Knights have a deep and talented roster, with contributions from players up and down their lineup.

Defensively, the Golden Knights have been solid this season, allowing an average of just 2.57 goals against per game. Their penalty kill has also been one of the best in the league, ranking fifth at 84.5%. The Golden Knights will need to continue to play solid defense and stay disciplined if they hope to shut down the struggling Canadiens.

INJURIES: Laurent Brossoit: out (lower body), Robin Lehner: out (hip), Nolan Patrick: out (upper body), Mark Stone: out (back), Logan Thompson: out (lower body), Nicolas Roy: day to day (lower body).

BETTING TRENDS

Montreal are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games against Vegas.

Montreal are 4-12 SU in their last 16 games on the road.

Montreal are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Vegas.

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Montreal's last 6 games against an opponent in the Western Conference conference.

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vegas' last 6 games.

Vegas are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games.

Vegas are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games at home.

Vegas are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Montreal.

Prediction

In terms of special teams, the Golden Knights have a much better power play than the Canadiens, converting on 21.3% of their opportunities compared to Montreal's 16.1%. The Canadiens, however, have a better penalty kill, with a success rate of 81.6% compared to the Golden Knights' 78.1%.

Looking at the individual performances of the players, the Golden Knights have a number of key players who have been instrumental in the team's success this season. Jack Eichel has been one of the team's top performers, with 22 goals and 23 assists in just 41 games played. Jonathan Marchessault has also been a key contributor, with four goals and five assists over the last 10 games. Max Pacioretty and William Karlsson have also been playing well, with both players scoring 20 goals or more this season.

On the Canadiens' side, Cole Caufield has been one of the few bright spots on the team this season, with 26 goals and 10 assists. Jonathan Drouin has also been playing well, with one goal and seven assists over the last 10 games. However, with Carey Price and Brendan Gallagher out with injuries, the Canadiens are lacking in star power and will need to rely on their depth players to step up if they hope to compete with the Golden Knights.

Overall, the Golden Knights are the clear favorites in this matchup, with a better record, home-ice advantage, and a more talented roster. The Canadiens have struggled on the road this season and are facing a tough challenge against a team that has been playing very well lately. Expect the Golden Knights to win this game and cover the -1.5 puck line.

PICK: Golden Knights -1.5 (-118) 

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