Columbus Blue Jackets vs Montreal Canadiens Prediction, 10/26/2023 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Columbus Blue Jackets vs Montreal Canadiens

Date: Thursday, October 26, 2023

Location: Bell Centre in Montreal, QC

TV: TSN

Odds/Point Spread: Blue Jackets (+105) Canadiens (-133)

The Columbus Blue Jackets (3-2-1) are hitting the road to Bell Centre on Thursday where they will try to beat the Montreal Canadiens (3-2-1). The odds on this game have the Blue Jackets at +105 and the Canadiens are sitting at -133. The over/under comes in at 6.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will look for better times on the ice after their 3-2 loss to the Ducks their last time on the ice. Columbus amassed 8 minutes in the box in this contest. The Blue Jackets had a below average offensive outing in the defeat. Moreover, they had 7 power play tries and were able to score 1 goal. For the game, they scored on 2 of the 37 shots they launched.

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With respect to their goal scoring prowess, the Columbus Blue Jackets have notched 17 goals (19th in the National Hockey League) so far this season and have allowed 19. For the current campaign, they have accumulated 7 points and their points percentage is sitting at .583. Columbus skates onto the rink with 21 power play opportunities and they have notched 3 goals out of those advantages, earning them a percentage of 14.29%. When playing at even strength, the Blue Jackets have given up 16 goals while having 14 themselves. Columbus has attempted 197 shots and is the owner of a shooting percentage of 8.6%. The Blue Jackets have seen 199 shots tried against them and have a save percentage of .905. Columbus Blue Jackets opponents have earned 20 power play opportunities (24th in the league) and have earned 3 goals in those attempts.

The man in goal for this game is Elvis Merzlikins. Opponents have tallied 438 goals versus Merzlikins in his pro career and his goals against average is 3.12. Merzlikins has played in 154 games throughout his professional hockey career. His save percentage is at .906 in his 8,415 minutes guarding the cage. He has earned an overall record of 57-63-23 and he has started in 141 games. For his career, Merzlikins has 68 quality starts and his quality starts rate is .482. Merzlikins has had 4,668 shots taken against him and has accrued 4,230 total saves.

When they took the ice last, Montreal squared up with the Devils in an outing where the Canadiens took the loss by a final of 5-2. They had 4 power play chances in this outing and scored 1 out of those tries. The Canadiens recorded 2 goals of the 29 shots on goal they took.

The Canadiens have tallied 14 goals at even strength and 4 goals (17th in pro hockey) while on the power play. Montreal has put up 172 shots (23rd in hockey) and has accumulated a shooting percentage of 10.47%, while allowing their opponents 211 shots. On the season, the Montreal Canadiens have accounted for 18 goals, 7 points, as well as a points percentage of .583. They have allowed 20 goals to be scored by way of 12 goals at even strength and 8 goals while they were shorthanded. They have a total of 24 power play opportunities and they have a power play rate of 16.67%. They have a penalty kill percentage of 75.76% on their oppositions 33 power play opportunities, and their save percentage comes in at 90.5%.

Across the rink you are going to see Jake Allen protecting the goal. Allen is the owner of a career record of 185-150-39 and has played in 398 games. Allen's rate of quality starts comes in at 53.1% and he has earned 200 quality starts in his hockey career. He has compiled 10,060 stops out of the 11,068 shots tried, which gives him a percentage of .909. His opposition is averaging 2.70 goals per game and he has relinquished 1,008 goals in total. He has started in 377 games and has played for a total of 22,393 mins.

Who will win tonight's NHL game against the spread or moneyline?

Parlays Pundit's Pick: Take Montreal (-133) and under 6 goals

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