The Montreal Canadiens (17-17-3) travel to face off against the Chicago Blackhawks (12-24-2) on Friday, January 3rd. This game will be played at United Center in Chicago and televised on ESPN+. The Blackhawks are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Canadiens are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Penguins. Puck drop is set for 8:00 ET.

Canadiens vs Blackhawks

The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Montreal fell to 17-17-3 after a 3-1 road loss to the Penguins. The Canadiens entered as underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.

The Penguins took a 2-0 lead before Montreal got on the board in the third period. Christian Dvorak scored the Canadiens’ lone goal at 14:28 in the third, but Pittsburgh sealed the win with an empty-netter at 19:15.

The Chicago Blackhawks Are Coming Off A Win

With a 4-2 win over the Ducks, Chicago improved to 12-24-2 this season. As +1.5 goal underdogs, the Blackhawks covered the puck line. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 6 fell just short.

Four different players scored for Chicago, who held a 4-1 lead until the Ducks added a goal with only four seconds left. Isaak Phillips got things started for the Blackhawks with a goal at 7:03 in the first period.

Montreal Offense Breakdown

Montreal’s offense struggled in their 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh, managing just one goal, which came 5:32 into the third period from Christian Dvorak, his first of the season. The Canadiens took 26 shots on goal but were unable to convert on any of their 20 giveaways.

Emil Heineman picked up his first assist of the season on Dvorak’s goal, while Juraj Slafkovsky added his seventh assist. Despite taking 26 shots, the Canadiens were shut out through the first two periods.

Blackhawks Offense Breakdown

Chicago’s offense found the net four times in their 4-2 win over the Ducks, with Ryan Donato scoring his 7th goal of the season. Seth Jones added his 2nd goal, while Teuvo Teravainen netted his 4th on a power play. Isaak Phillips opened the scoring with his 1st goal of the season.

Connor Bedard contributed with three assists, bringing his season total to 9. The Blackhawks took 29 shots on goal and scored twice on power plays. They had 12 giveaways in the game.

Montreal Team Defense

Montreal’s defense gave up the first two goals of the game, with the first coming at 15:57 in the first period and the second at 18:40 in the second. The Canadiens pulled within one in the third, but they gave up an empty-netter with 45 seconds left, sealing a 3-1 loss. Goalie Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense added 4 takeaways and 28 hits.

Chicago Team Defense

Defensively, the Blackhawks will look to carry their momentum from their previous game, where they allowed just two goals to Anaheim. Arvid Söderblom had a strong performance, making 38 saves with a 95% save percentage. The defense also recorded 6 takeaways and 5 hits. However, they’ll aim to tighten up in the 3rd period, as both goals they conceded came in the final frame.

Canadiens vs Blackhawks Trends

• In their last five road games, Montreal has averaged 4 goals per game while allowing 2 . The team’s record in this stretch was 4-1 while going 5-0 vs. the spread.
• In their last five home games, Chicago has averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. The team’s record in this stretch was 3-2 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
• The last ten games that Chicago was the underdog, they have an puck line mark of 5-5 while going 3-7 straight up.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Canadiens have gone 5-5 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 9-1.

Canadiens vs Blackhawks Prediction

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Canadiens to take down the Blackhawks on the road. With the moneyline currently at -129, I’m placing my bet on the Canadiens straight-up.

My recommended pick for the puck line is to take the Blackhawks to cover. Even if the Canadiens win straight-up, this one should be close throughout and the Blackhawks should cover the puck line.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering on the over.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.