The Montreal Canadiens (12-16-3) travel to face off against the Detroit Red Wings (13-14-4) on Friday, December 20th. This game will be played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit and televised on ESPN+. The Red Wings 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 7:00 ET.

Canadiens vs Red Wings

The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Montreal fell to 12-16-3 after a 3-1 road loss to the Penguins. The Canadiens, as underdogs on the puck line, failed to cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.

Montreal’s defense allowed the first goal at 4:03 in the first period and trailed 2-0 before Christian Dvorak scored at 14:28 in the third. The Penguins sealed the game with an empty-net goal at 19:15 in the final period.

The Detroit Red Wings Are Coming Off A Win

Detroit improved to 13-14-4 with a 2-1 win over the Sabres. The Red Wings were favored on the puck line, but didn’t cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined score of 3 fell well short of that mark.

After giving up a short-handed goal in the first period, Detroit responded with two power-play goals in the second. Dylan Larkin scored both goals for the Red Wings.

Montreal Offense Breakdown

Christian Dvorak netted his first goal of the season for Montreal, which came 5:32 into the third period. Juraj Slafkovsky picked up his 7th assist, while Emil Heineman recorded his first assist of the year.

The Canadiens fired 26 shots on goal but were held scoreless through the first two periods. They also recorded 20 giveaways in the game.

Red Wings Offense Breakdown

Detroit’s offense was held scoreless in the first period but found the net twice in the second, both on power plays. Dylan Larkin, who now has 7 goals this season, scored both times, with his first coming 7:49 into the second period and his second at the 14:38 mark.

Lucas Raymond picked up his 10th assist on Larkin’s second goal, while Alex DeBrincat added his 4th assist. The Red Wings took 23 shots on goal but had 15 giveaways.

Montreal Team Defense

Montreal’s defense gave up the first two goals of the game, with both coming from Sidney Crosby. The first was at 15:57 in the first period, and the second was a power-play goal at 18:40 in the second. The Canadiens closed the gap to 2-1 in the third, but they conceded an empty-netter with just 45 seconds left. Goalie Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, and the defense added 28 hits and 4 takeaways.

Detroit Team Defense

Despite allowing the first goal at 11:39 in the first period, the Red Wings’ defense held firm, leading to a 2-1 victory. Cam Talbot made 31 saves with a 96.9% save percentage, and the defense added 4 takeaways and 11 hits.

Canadiens vs Red Wings Trends

• When looking at their past three road matchups, Montreal has an puck line record of 1-2 while averaging 2 per game. The team went 0-3 overall in these games.
• Across their last five home contests, Detroit has a 5-0 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 2-3, while averaging 3 goals per game.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting underdog, the Red Wings have gone 9-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 4-6.
• Through their last five games as the favorite, the Canadiens have an puck line record of 3-2 and a straight up mark of 4-1.

Canadiens vs Red Wings Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Red Wings to defeat the Canadiens while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at -156, I’m placing a wager on the Red Wings to win outright.

When it comes to my suggested pick for the puck line, I’d advise taking the Canadiens to cover. Even in the event of a Red Wings victory, this matchup is likely to remain closely contested, and the Canadiens should cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

---

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

---

* 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.