The Florida Panthers are taking on the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night for what should be a lopsided contest. Florida is on the cusp of clinching a playoff spot, and with this being one of their easier games left, it’s a game that the Panthers have to win.
The Canadiens have arguably had the worst year in hockey, sitting at 30-39-6 with 66 points.
Although the Canadiens have struggled, their record is similar to the Panthers in their last 10 games. Montreal comes into this one at 5-4-1 in their last 10, while the Canadiens come in at 4-6. Florida has 81 points and needs every game down the stretch, leading to what should be a comfortable win against a below-average squad.
Florida comes into this one at -225 on the moneyline and +115 on the puck line.
Huge Game for Florida
While this is a game that Florida should easily come away with, the Canadiens have proven to be a team that can annoy other top teams. The Panthers need this win, however, and that should provide them with all of the confidence and energy they need to win this game. They come into this game after an impressive 3-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime.
This could be a call for concern throughout the game, given the fact that they just played an overtime game. It could also be huge for them to get that win and get this team ready to make their final push into the playoffs and get ready to do their thing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Aleksander Barkov is the guy to watch out for tonight. He’s played well this season and added a point last night. If he can get going, the Panthers should find themselves in a good position. Brandon Montour also added a goal and an assist in their win, so expect him to continue being aggressive.
Florida is clearly the better team in this matchup, and that should continue.
Can the Canadiens Play Spoiler?
While this season has been nothing short of a major disappointment for the Canadiens, there are still areas where they can work on at the end of the season. There are seven games left for them, and they would love to win those last seven games and head into the offseason with something to look forward to.
Montreal lost to the Philadelphia Flyers in their last game on Tuesday night. They lost this game 3-2 after giving up two goals in the third period. Again, Montreal showed that they can compete, but couldn’t get the job done.
If they can find a way to hold a lead, perhaps they can win this game. If they allow Florida to get on them early, there’s a good chance this one is going to be over right away. They have to control the pace, otherwise, they might lose by three-plus goals.
Florida Panthers vs. Montreal Canadiens Prediction
Due to the Panthers being on a back-to-back, taking them -1.5 might not be the best bet. However, they should come out and show that they want to be in the playoffs, which will lead to an easy win. The Panthers are the much better team, and getting them at plus odds seems to be one of the best plays of the day.
100% up to $3,000 Bonus
Bovada is our most recommended ONLINE CASINO and POKER ROOM for US players with excellent deposit options. Get your 100% signup bonus today.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.