In a game between two teams that have started the new season strongly, the Calgary Flames and the Montreal Canadiens collide at Bell Centre for a cross-country matchup. The opening face-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 23, and fans at home will be able to catch the game live on Sportsnet Flames.
Calgary Flames at Montreal Canadiens Odds
Calgary (-120) is currently favored over Montreal (+100). The Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals and initially opened at -120 for the over and +100 for the under. Those odds have moved, however, and they now sit at -130 money on the over, +110 on the under.
Calgary is 5-3 straight up (SU) and has earned 2.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. That SU winning percentage, the best in the Pacific Division so far this season, represents a welcome improvement compared to what the team did last season (37-45). Five of its games have gone over the total, while three have gone under and none have pushed. As the away team in 2018-19, the Flames are 3-2 SU.
Calgary has scored on 18.2 percent of its power play opportunities so far. That’s a nice improvement from last season, when it was ranked 28th in the NHL by scoring on 16.0 percent of its extra-man opportunities. Its penalty kill has fallen off drastically since last year, however, as the team has gone from successfully defending 81.9 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked seventh overall last year) to 79.3 percent this year.
For the team as a whole, Calgary has been penalized 3.8 times per game this season. Last year, that number was the second-worst mark in the league at 4.4 penalties per game. After serving an average of 11.2 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team’s had to kill penalties for only 8.4 minutes per matchup this year.
With a .885 save percentage and 24.3 saves per game, Mike Smith (3-3) has been the best option in goal for Calgary this year. If head coach Bill Peters chooses to rest him, however, the team might turn to David Rittich (2-1 record, .962 save percentage, 1.30 goals against average).
Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk will both lead the way for the visiting Flames. Gaudreau has 12 points on five goals and seven assists this season; Tkachuk has three goals and seven assists to his name through the early phase of the regular season.
Over on the other bench, Montreal is 4-3 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 2.4 units this season. Three of its games have gone over the total, while another three have gone under and just one has pushed. This season, the team’s 3-1 SU at home.
Montreal has killed off a remarkable 72.7 percent of all penalties, compared to 74.1 percent in 2017-18 (when it was ranked 30th in the NHL). It’s scored on 17.2 percent of its power plays this year after converting on 21.3 percent (ranked ninth in league) last season.
Montreal players have been sent to the penalty box 3.7 times per game this season, a number that’s pretty close to the 3.8 penalties per game given up last year. After serving an average of 8.6 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team has had to stave off opponent power plays for 9.4 minutes per outing this season.
Carey Price (24.6 saves per game) has been the top selection in goal for Montreal. Price has two wins, three losses, and two OT losses and has maintained a 2.57 goals against average and a fairly-weak .904 save percentage this year.
The home team offense will be led by Tomas Tatar (three goals, five assists).
Calgary Flames vs. Montreal Canadiens Free Picks
Free NHL Pick: SU Winner – Flames, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Notes
The total has gone over in three of Montreal’s last five games.
The Canadiens are 1-2 SU when they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Flames are 0-2 SU in games where they serve more minutes than their opponent.
After going 2-6 in games decided by a shootout last year, Montreal is off to a 1-0 start in shootouts this season. Calgary was 2-5 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
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