The Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins battle in Game 2 of their qualifying round Monday at 8 p.m. ET at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. We analyze the Canadiens-Penguins’ NHL betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
Canadiens vs. Penguins: Projected starting goalies
Carey Price vs. Matt Murray
Price was superb in Game 1, stopping 39 of the 41 pucks he faced in a 3-2 overtime upset victory. He had a bit of a hiccup midway through the second period, yielding an even-strength goal to Penguins C Sidney Crosby and a power-play goal to Bryan Rust just 2:39 later; however, he regrouped and the Habs never fell behind at any point in the opener.
Murray allowed goals to Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Nick Suzuki and Jeff Petry (OT winner) in the opening-game loss, but most people would agree that none of the even-strength goals were his fault. Head coach Mike Sullivan would be crazy to turn to Tristan Jarry after Game 1, but desperate times also call for desperate measures. Another loss in Game 2 and then it’s win or go home in this five-game series against the 12th-seeded Habs.
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Canadiens vs. Penguins: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 7:40 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Penguins 5, Canadiens 2
Moneyline (ML)
The PENGUINS (-176) were stunned in Game 1, and you can bet they’re not going to be surprised again. If Murray allows any goals early on, whether or not they’re his fault, Jarry will get the call, but it’s unlikely he’ll fall behind. The Canadiens (+150) won’t catch the Pens napping in this one, and you can expect Sullivan to whip his team into shape ahead of this crucial and unexpected near-must-win game. They’re not losing to the No. 12 seed again in the series.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Penguins (-176) to win returns a profit of $5.70, while a $10 wager on the Canadiens (+150) results in a profit of $15.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The PENGUINS -1.5 (+165) can be expected to fire out of the chute early in this one, and Price will face a blitzkrieg of gold and yellow in the first period. I expect puck line bettors to be very pleased early on, as Pittsburgh builds a big lead and hangs on to win by more than two goals. Grab the Pens on the alternate line.
Over/Under (O/U)
OVER 5.5 (+105) is a great value, as the Penguins are likely to be very embarrassed about their Game 1 showing. Look for them to crash the net early and often, trying to throw Price from his comfort zone. The Pens and the Over make for a nice parlay opportunity, too.
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