The Ottawa Senators will be looking to avenge last weekend’s back-to-back losses to rival Montreal when they visit the Canadiens on Saturday as +145 betting underdogs at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Those defeats denied the Senators an opportunity to overtake Montreal in the race for top spot in the Atlantic Division standings, but following a pair of wins over Boston and Pittsburgh this week, Ottawa sits just one point back of the Habs going into Saturday night’s Senators versus Canadiens betting matchup at the Bell Centre.
Ottawa opened the week with a crucial 3-2 win over the Bruins as +162 road underdogs on Monday, then followed that up with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Penguins as +127 home underdogs on Thursday.
[snippet id=3317575]
While those victories snapped a four-game slide, Ottawa was outpaced in shots on goal in both contests by a total margin of 71-52 and has now been outshot in seven of its past nine games, including each of its past four.
The Senators have also struggled on the penalty kill, with all three goals surrendered this week coming while short-handed, but the club has effectively shut down opposing offences at even strength, allowing just six total goals over their past six games.
Saturday’s date with Montreal marks the sixth straight game in which the Senators have been pegged as betting underdogs, and the 31st time this season they have sported positive odds on the road.
While the Senators have eked out just eight wins in 16 home dates as underdogs, they have claimed victory in 17 of 30 away from Canadian Tire Centre, including nine of their past 14.
[snippet ID = 3322139]
The Senators failed to pay out as +143 road underdogs in last Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Canadiens, which followed a 4-3 shootout loss at home the previous night.
However, Montreal has been a massive disappointment in their two home dates this week, dropping a 2-1 overtime decision to Detroit as -207 home chalk on Tuesday before suffering a stunning 4-1 defeat to Carolina as a -177 favourite on Thursday.
Those losses leave the Canadiens with just seven wins in their past 21 games on home ice, with 13 of the defeats during that stretch coming as home chalk. Montreal’s offence has also tallied two or fewer goals in seven of 11, producing just two wins for the OVER for bettors.
The Canadiens have scored 10 times over their past three home dates with Ottawa, but have picked up just four wins in the Senators’ past eight regular-season visits despite potting over three goals per game during that stretch.
[relatedlinks]