Montreal vs. Islanders. NHL Match Prediction and Bets

Current form

Montreal completed a three-game road series that started off very well. In the first game, the team fought an opponent of their level in the person of Columbus and was able to snatch a victory in overtime (4:3). It is worth noting the excellent play of forward Slafkowski, who scored a goal and also gave an assist. Then the Canadiens went to visit the Rangers, where they could well have grabbed points again due to their high attack performance, but this time the defensive line played even worse, which led to a defeat in regulation time with a difference of one goal (3:4). Goalkeeper Montembeault was far from the most reliable, reflecting only 85% of the shots. It is worth noting that the wards of Saint-Louis were almost able to transfer the game to overtime, but conceded a puck just a few seconds before the final whistle, and playing short-handed.

It seems that the disappointing defeat had a strong impact on the players' morale, as they had to suffer a 3-6 defeat away from Boston. After the first period, the opponent had a three-goal advantage and the Canadians were unable to recover from such a blow. This time, goalie Primo played in goal, but he performed even worse than his teammate. Due to frequent failures, the club still cannot leave the last line in the Eastern Conference standings, having 19 points.

Disqualifications and injuries

Montreal infirmary remains unchanged. The team continues to play without Laine, Price and Widman.

Interesting trends for betting

• On average, Montreal allows 3.9 goals per game.

The Canadians continue to show very weak defensive play.

• The Canadiens average 11 penalty minutes per game.

It is also worth noting the very poor discipline of the players.

Current form

The Islanders have been in decline for a long time and are having a hard time earning points. After the victory over St. Louis, the team continued to show terrible results and could not achieve success for three games in a row. The team was unable to give a worthy rebuff to Detroit and Boston, suffering losses with a score of 2:4 and 3:6, respectively. Both goalies Valamov and Sorokin showed their worst side, reflecting only 80% of the shots between them. Then the Islanders went to visit Washington, where they were finally able to impose a fight, but again lost in overtime (4:5). As you can see, the defensive line in this match was not the most reliable. But it is worth praising forward Lee, thanks to whose efforts they managed to cling to one point.

Returning to their home arena, New York fought against a rival of their level in Buffalo and this time proved to be much more reliable, winning a dry 3:0, thus breaking their losing streak. Goalkeeper Sorokin rehabilitated himself in front of the fans, reflecting all 29 shots, making another shutout in his career. Due to the large number of lost points, the club has already dropped to 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings and now has 24 points.

Disqualifications and injuries

One of the reasons for the Islanders' poor performances remains serious problems with the roster. The club has four players in the infirmary: Barzal, Duclair, Pelech and Rielly. Also in question is Pajot appearance on the ice.

Interesting trends for betting

• The Islanders average 2.6 goals per game.

The Islanders' offensive line is showing its worst side and rarely shows productive hockey.

• On average, a team receives 5.3 penalty minutes per match.

However, the team is distinguished by a very disciplined game, which allows it to remain at full strength throughout almost the entire match.