The Montreal Canadiens will be trying to extend a season-high winning streak to five games when they host the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday as -160 favourites on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Bolstered by the outstanding play of goaltender Carey Price, who returned to action last weekend after missing 10 games with a lower-body injury, Montreal has shut the door on opposing offences during a four-game surge that has lifted it into playoff contention going into Saturday night’s Red Wings vs. Canadiens betting matchup at the Bell Centre.
The Canadiens have surrendered just five total goals during their current win streak, capped by a 6-3 win in Detroit as +111 underdogs on Thursday that lifted them past both the Red Wings and the idle Boston Bruins into sole possession of third place in the Atlantic Division.
Riding a three-game win streak on home ice, the Canadiens aim to kick off their upcoming five-game homestand with a seventh win over Detroit in eight dates at the Bell Centre.
With Thursday’s loss, the Red Wings travel to Montreal riding a six-game losing streak. Detroit has struggled at both ends of the ice during its current slide, allowing 4.33 goals per game while potting two or fewer markers on three occasions. However, the Red Wings remain one of this season’s top puckline bets, going 14-5 while pegged as underdogs.
Also on Saturday, the Toronto Maple Leafs try to complete the sweep in their three-game swing through Western Canada as they battle the Vancouver Canucks as -135 road favourites.
Toronto survived a 45-shot onslaught in Edmonton to escape with a 6-4 win over the Oilers as -114 favourites on Thursday to move to within one point of the division-leading Tampa Bay Lightning, and improve its NHL-leading road record to 9-4-1.
The Canucks return home as +122 underdogs after closing out a five-game road trip on Thursday with a 5-3 win in Nashville as +162 underdogs. Vancouver has three wins during a high-scoring eight-game stretch in which seven or more total goals have been scored on seven occasions, fuelling a 7-1 run for the OVER in totals betting.
However, the Canucks have scored more than two goals just once while losing six times in eight home games immediately following a road trip.
In other NHL action on Saturday, the Oilers try to recover from their demoralizing loss to Toronto as they visit the rival Calgary Flames as +126 underdogs. Edmonton has won just two of eight on the road, but has dominated the Flames, scoring five or more goals on three occasions during a 3-1-0 run at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
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