The Washington Capitals and Montreal Canadiens drop the puck at the Bell Centre in Quebec on Saturday night. The Canadiens are on a back-to-back following a 3-0 loss to the New York Islanders at home.
Carey really missed the game.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/boNBgLu7u5
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 16, 2022
Carey Price returned after a lengthy layoff. It was good to see Price back between the pipes despite the loss.
He is just looking to get some play in before going into the offseason and a full season in 2022-23. It was a long road for Price to get back into the crease.
It was scoreless on the scoreboard going into the 3rd period, though Price allowed 2 goals to give the Islanders a 2-0 lead and an empty netter. Ilya Sorokin spoiled Price’s return with a 44-save shutout.
The Canadiens have had poor efforts this season, but this wasn’t a case of slow skates. Montreal put out a good effort in support of Price. Price stopped 17 saves on 19 shots, while Sorokin was blitzed all night.
With the loss, the Canadiens have dropped to 20-44-11 and 51 points on the season. They’re going nowhere while the Capitals are preparing for a long playoff push. The Capitals are on the heels of a 7-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs to end a four-game winning streak.
Despite the loss, the Capitals have been playing good hockey and should be dangerous following a poor effort in Toronto. The Caps had a 9-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers before the loss.
They should be fine against the Habs’ backup goaltender in this one. After Price made his season debut last night, expect the Canadiens to go with Sam Montembeault in the crease. Ilya Samsonov is probable to counter for the Caps.
Head below for our free Capitals vs. Canadiens prediction on April 16, 2022.
Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens Betting Odds and Team Statistics:
The following odds are courtesy of Bovada:
| Teams | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Capitals | -1.5 (+100) | -270 | Over 6.5 (-105) |
| Montreal Canadiens | +1.5 (-120) | +220 | Under 6.5 (-115) |
|
Rank
|
Betting Site
|
Bonus | Bet Now |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Bovada
|
50% up to $1,000 | Go to Site |
| 2 | 
BetUS
|
125% up to $2,500 | Go to Site |
| 3 | 
MyBookie
|
100% up to $1,000 | Go to Site |
| 4 | 
Everygame
|
100% up to $500 | Go to Site |
| 5 | 
BetOnline
|
50% up to $1,000 | Go to Site |
| Team Data | Washington Capitals | Montreal Canadiens |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Record | 41-23-10 | 20-44-11 |
| Puckline Record | 38-36 | 37-38 |
| Away/Home Record | 22-8-5 | 10-22-4 |
| Puckline Away/Home | 24-11 | 17-19 |
| Goals Per Game | 3.34 | 2.53 |
| Goals Against Per Game | 2.93 | 3.80 |
| Shots Per Game | 31.34 | 29.14 |
| Shots Against Per Game | 29.55 | 34.45 |
Capitals vs. Canadiens Prediction:
After expelling plenty of energy into protecting Carey Price last night, we’ll see if they have anything left to help Sam Monteambault. I’m pointing towards the Canadiens’ defense not holding up especially well in this one.
This season, their overall body of work on the blueline has not been promising. The absence of Price in the crease has certainly hurt as well, but there would have been a lot for him to deal with as well.
The Canadiens are 30th in the NHL with 34.5 shots against per game. For a rare night, the defense stepped up to allow just 19 shots.
It’s hard to see a repeat of this on a back-to-back with the Caps on tap.
It has equated to an average of 3.8 goals against per game. There isn’t a team in the league that has allowed as many goals as the Canadiens this season.
Montembeault needs some assistance for a good game. If the floodgates open and the Capitals have free passing lanes against a tired Montreal defense, they will put up goals in a hurry in Montreal.
In their last ten attempts, the Canadiens have gotten torched for 4.2 goals against per game. The Capitals should have a fun time firing at will against Monteambeault in this one.
Washington Capitals vs. Montreal Canadiens Betting Trends:
- 5-1 overall in their previous six games on the road
- 10-2 overall in their previous 12 games versus the Eastern Conference
- OVER is 8-0 in their previous eight games as a visiting team
- OVER is 4-1 in their previous five games as a betting favorite
- OVER is 21-7-1 in their previous 29 games
- 8-23 overall in their previous 31 games at home
- 17-51 overall in their previous 68 games as an underdog
- 5-2 overall in their previous seven games on a Saturday
- OVER is 7-1 in their previous eight games after a loss at home by 3 or more goals
- OVER is 5-1 in their previous six games on a back-to-back
Ilya Samsonov isn’t having the best season in the net for the Capitals. He’s struggled to find consistency, which will have to change soon in the playoffs.
The Capitals’ playoff chances likely come down to the goaltending. Samsonov has a 3.00 GAA and 0.897 save percentage going into Montreal. He’s allowed at least 3 goals in three of his previous four attempts.
Washington has left the door open in recent outings. They have allowed 3.9 goals per contest. Fortunately, the Capitals’ offense, led by sharpshooter Alex Ovechkin, have notched 3.7 goals per game.
A look at the OVER is likely in the best interest of sports bettors on at the Bell Centre.
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