The Montreal Canadiens won’t have long to celebrate winning their season opener with a road date against the Boston Bruins on Thursday, October 10.
Sam Montembeault was perfect against the Leafs, and my Canadiens vs. Bruins predictions believe backup Cayden Primeau will also turn away plenty of rubber tonight.
Find out why in my NHL picks below.
Canadiens vs Bruins prediction
My best bet
Cayden Primeau Over 27.5 saves (-125 at Bet99)
My analysis
The Montreal Canadiens allowed 48 shots on 103 attempts last night, and now the Habs hit the road to visit the rested Boston Bruins in a back-to-back spot.
It sets up Montreal backup Cayden Primeau to also be busy between the pipes tonight.
The Canadiens had a 36% shot share overall and were hemmed in to the tune of a 28.2 Corsi For percentage at 5-on-5 by the Maple Leafs. It'll stand as one of the most lopsided possession results of the season, and I expect Boston to have a little more difficulty generating shooting opportunities tonight.
Still, the Bruins are at home with the advantage of last change, and they generated a respectable 28 shots on 75 attempts in their season opener on the road against the defending Stanley Cup champions. The Canadiens represent a noticeable downtick in class.
Primeau also finished last season strong. He recorded 28 or more saves in six of his final seven starts while posting a tidy .919 SV% and 0.33 goals saved above average per 60 minutes.
Canadiens vs Bruins same-game parlay (SGP)
Cayden Primeau Over 27.5 saves
Under 5.5 goals
Juraj Slafkovsky Over 0.5 points
Montreal only generated 1.54 expected goals against Toronto on Wednesday, and I’m not expecting the Habs to create oodles of scoring chances against Boston, either. The Bruins also aren’t exactly an offensive juggernaut and ranked 16th in expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 last year.
In addition to Primeau playing well, I also expect the Boston net to be well taken care of, with either No. 1 Jeremy Swayman making his season debut or Joonas Korpisalo playing better than he did Tuesday against Florida.
Turning to Montreal winger Juraj Slafkovsky, he finished strong for the Canadiens last season, and he continues to skate in a top offensive role with Montreal stars Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
Slafkovsky racked up 16 goals and 19 assists across the final 40 games last year, and he was on the ice with Suzuki and Caufield for a solid 3.2 goals per 60 minutes and a respectable 50.8 Corsi For percentage at 5-on-5.
The trio climbed to an equally impressive 4.38 goals per 60 when including their shared PP time. Slafkovsky also picked up an assist last night.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Canadiens vs Bruins odds
Canadiens vs Bruins live odds
Canadiens vs Bruins opening odds
- Puck line: Montreal +1.5 (-120) | Boston -1.5 (+100)
- Moneyline: Montreal +225 | Boston -280
- Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (+115)
Canadiens vs Bruins moneyline and Over/Under analysis
- Shops have taken huge action on the Bruins, and it makes sense given the highlighted possession numbers for the Canadiens in their season opener.
- With this being a back-to-back spot for Montreal, it isn’t surprising to see the Canadiens trading at +220 as a road underdog at Bet99.
- There hasn’t been notable line movement to the total across shops, and the Bet99 options have the Over 5.5 and the Under 6.5 carrying the higher vigs.
- As discussed, I’m not anticipating this to be a high-scoring game, either.
Canadiens vs Bruins trend
Montreal Canadiens goalie Cayden Primeau recorded 28 or more saves in six of his final seven 2023-24 starts. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Bruins.
Canadiens vs Bruins game info
| Location: | TD Garden, Boston, MA |
| Date: | Thursday, 10-10-2024 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TSN2, NESN |
Canadiens vs Bruins latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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