NHL

Canadiens vs Bruins Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight - NHL

Published

1y ago

Nov 19, 2023 / 727 Views

Evan Walker

The Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins will meet for the second time in eight days after the Habs handed the B’s just their third defeat of the season last weekend — a rare misstep for Boston.

The Bruins roll into tonight’s contest with a 12-1-2 record, good for second place overall behind only the Golden Knights, while they own the NHL’s stingiest defense at just 2.00 goals against per game.

Can Montreal defy NHL odds again or will the hosts continue their climb to the top of the NHL standings? Find out in my Canadiens vs Bruins free NHL picks for Saturday, November 18.

Canadiens vs Bruins odds

Canadiens vs Bruins predictions

The Boston Bruins bounced right back after last Saturday’s loss to the Montreal Canadiens, picking up a 5-2 win against the Sabres on Tuesday in their only game of the week. Linus Ullmark made 32 saves in the win, but it’s Jeremy Swayman who will likely get the start between the pipes at TD Garden tonight.

Swayman suffered his first loss of the season in last weekend’s Game vs. Montreal but has still snagged a point in every contest he’s played, posting a 6-0-1 record through seven appearances. The Bruins netminder owns an incredible .944 SV% and a 1.69 GAA — ranking second and first, respectively, among all goalies with more than one Game played.

The loss to the Canadiens was the first time Swayman had allowed more than two goals in a game this season, and it took until overtime for the Habs to net their third of the night.

The Bruins have been incredibly tight defensively regardless of who’s been in net as they’ve allowed just 2.00 goals against per game — the best mark in the league. Boston has given up more than two goals in just three of 15 games this season... coincidentally in all three of their defeats.

I like the B’s in this matchup and I think they’ll get the job done with another strong defensive performance, holding the Canadiens to Under 2.5 goals.

My best bet: Canadiens team total Under 2.5 (-153 at SIA)

Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site.

MORE NHL FREE PICKS

Canadiens vs Bruins same-game parlay

Canadiens team total Under 2.5

Bruins team total Over 2.5

Pastrnka anytime goalscorer

+210 at SIA

While I’m looking for the Canadiens to score Under 2.5 goals, I’ll also be looking for the Bruins to finish the Game Over 2.5 goals.

Boston hasn’t just been a defensive machine... it's also averaged 3.33 goals per game this season. The Bruins have scored at least three times in all but one of their games this season, you guessed it, that 3-2 overtime loss to the Canadiens. That game was clearly an outlier so look for the hosts to put up at least three goals tonight.

I’ll round out my same-Game parlay by banking on a goal from David Pastrnak, who leads Boston with 11 tallies in 15 Games. Pastrnak has been heating up lately with goals in five of his last nine Games, and six goals total over that span. He’s firing nearly five shots on net per Game — by far the most of any Bruins player — so the goals are bound to come.

Learn how to bet a same-Game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Looking to bet on some NHL action? Join Sports Interaction, the best in Canada for new bettors, with a brand-new platform featuring same-game parlays, increased prop markets, and more!

Canadiens vs Bruins moneyline and Over/Under analysis

The Bruins are tonight’s huge favorite on the moneyline, coming in at -271 on home ice, with the total opening at 6.0 goals. It’s hard to bet against the nearly unstoppable B’s, and all signs point to a low-scoring battle in this matchup.

Last weekend’s loss looked like a mere misstep for the Bruins, who are somehow outpacing their 135-point, Presidents’ Trophy-winning pace from last season. Montreal’s win last weekend snapped a 10-game losing skid against Boston, so odds are the Bruins get right back to winning ways in this matchup.

After a solid start to the season, the Canadiens have won two of their last nine outings while averaging just 2.67 gpg over that span... which probably won’t be good enough to get it done against the Bruins again.

While the Bruins have dominated this matchup historically, these teams tend to play tight games, with the Under going 5-3-2 in the last 10 meetings. Boston has played plenty of low-scoring contests this season, cashing the Under in 10 of 15 games.

The Bruins' defense will need to be on point again tonight if we’re going to see this game finish with six or fewer goals, but I think that’s a pretty safe bet, especially with Swayman in net.