San Jose Sharks vs Montréal Canadiens February 4th 2025

Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Canadiens versus the Sharks? The puck drops at 10:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on NBCS. The game will be played at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. In this non-conference matchup, the Canadiens are favored by -1.5 vs. the Sharks. The over/under for the game is 6 goals.

Montreal vs. San Jose Key Information

• Teams: Canadiens at Sharks
• Where: SAP Center San Jose
• Date: Tuesday, February 4th
• Betting Odds MON -167 | SJ +141 O/U 6

The Canadiens Can Win If…

The Canadiens dropped to 24-23-5 with a 3-1 road loss to the Penguins. Montreal was the underdog on the puck line, and the total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the teams combined for just 4.

Montreal’s only goal came in the third period, after the Penguins had already scored twice. The Penguins added an empty-netter with 0:45 left to seal the win.

Montreal’s offense struggled in their 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh, with Christian Dvorak netting his first goal of the season at 14:28 in the third period. The Canadiens fired 26 shots on goal and recorded 20 giveaways.

Emil Heineman picked up his first assist of the season, while Juraj Slafkovsky added his seventh. The Canadiens were held scoreless through the first two periods before Dvorak’s goal.

Defensively, the Canadiens gave up the first two goals of the game, both from Sidney Crosby, including one on the power play. They also allowed an empty-netter late in the third period. Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense recorded 4 takeaways and 28 hits.

• Through their last three regular season contests, Montreal has a record of 0-3. Across these games, their puck line record was just 0-3, while posting an over-under record of 0-3.
• Over their last ten regular season games, the Canadiens have gone 4-6 straight up. The team’s record vs the puck line was just 5-5, in addition to an over-under mark of 4-5-1.

The Sharks Can Win If…

San Jose’s latest defeat, a 3-2 loss to the Canucks, dropped their record to 15-33-6. The Sharks held a 2-1 lead in the third period, but Vancouver scored twice, including the game-winner with just 26 seconds left.

The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score reached only 5. As the underdog on the puck line, San Jose failed to cover.

San Jose’s offense took 23 shots on goal but only found the net twice in their 3-2 loss to Vancouver. Nico Sturm opened the scoring with his second goal of the season, while Mikael Granlund added his sixth goal, tying the game 2-2 with just 1:17 left in the third period.

Tyler Toffoli picked up his fifth assist on Granlund’s goal, and William Eklund recorded his seventh assist of the season. The Sharks were held scoreless in the first period before Sturm’s goal at 17:23 in the second period.

San Jose’s defense will be looking to bounce back after allowing a late goal with just 26 seconds left, resulting in a 3-2 loss to the Canucks. Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves, posting a save percentage of 89.3%. The Sharks’ defense also recorded 6 takeaways and 21 hits.

• The Sharks have gone 1-2 over their last three regular season games. In these contests, the team went just 1-2 against the spread, while going 2-1 on the over-under.
• San Jose has put together a record of 2-8 in their last ten games (regular season). Their record vs the puck line sits at 3-7 in these matchups, while posting a 6-4 over-under mark.

The Lean

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Sharks to defeat the Canadiens while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at +141, I’m placing a wager on the Sharks to win outright.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Sharks winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Sharks straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering on the over.

Daily NHL Picks & Predictions

Canadiens Look to End Losing Streak Against Struggling Sharks

The Montreal Canadiens will attempt to snap their five-game winless streak when they face the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night. While Montreal is desperate to regain momentum, the Sharks—despite their poor record—have historically been a tough opponent for the Canadiens.

Canadiens’ Recent Struggles: A Critical Time to Bounce Back

Montreal (0-4-1 in its last five games) suffered another frustrating loss on Sunday, falling 3-2 to the Anaheim Ducks. The Canadiens led 2-0 midway through the second period but conceded two goals in 40 seconds before allowing the game-winner in the third.

“It’s not like we’re getting dominated, but we’re finding ways to lose,” coach Martin St. Louis said. “We’re hurting ourselves. We’re not as sharp, we don’t execute. … It’s not the time of the season you want to get a slide, so we’ve got to stop the bleeding.”

Before this recent skid, Montreal had gone 13-3-1 in 17 games, positioning itself near the Eastern Conference playoff race. To get back on track, the Canadiens must clean up their execution and avoid costly mistakes.

Sharks’ Rebuild: Roster Moves and Injury Concerns

On paper, Montreal has an ideal opportunity to return to the win column against the NHL’s last-place team. However, history suggests otherwise—the Sharks are 16-3-1 against the Canadiens since the 2010-11 season.

San Jose (4-17-1 in its last 22 games) is in full rebuild mode. Over the weekend, the team traded leading scorer Mikael Granlund (45 points, 30 assists) and defenseman Cody Ceci to the Dallas Stars for 2025 draft picks.

Granlund and Ceci played key leadership roles for the Sharks, making their departures a significant loss. Young players like Will Smith, who sat next to Granlund in the locker room, acknowledge the impact.

“(Granlund) said whatever I need, I can ask him,” Smith told the San Jose Mercury News. “It’s a huge piece we’re losing, but I’ve learned a lot from him.”

To make matters worse, injuries could leave San Jose even more shorthanded. Alexander Wennberg (upper body) is set to miss his second straight game, while Tyler Toffoli (lower body) and Fabian Zetterlund (illness) remain questionable.

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Key Factors to Watch

1. Canadiens’ Defensive Execution and Penalty Kill

Despite their struggles, Montreal boasts one of the NHL’s best penalty kills (82.5%). Opponents are just 2-for-25 on the power play in the Canadiens’ last 10 games and 0-for-9 in their last five. If Montreal can stay disciplined and continue its strong PK performance, it could tilt the game in its favor.

2. Goaltending Matchups

With back-to-back games against San Jose and Los Angeles, Montreal is expected to split starts between Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes. Montembeault played in Anaheim, meaning Dobes could start against the Sharks.

San Jose, meanwhile, may welcome back Vitek Vanecek, who has been out for 21 games with a fractured cheekbone. If Vanecek isn’t ready, Alexandar Georgiev will likely get the start.

3. Nick Suzuki’s Leadership and Offensive Output

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki continues to be the team’s offensive leader, with 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists). With Montreal struggling to hold leads, Suzuki’s ability to generate scoring chances will be crucial.

Final Thoughts

While the Canadiens are in a slump, facing a depleted and rebuilding Sharks team gives them a prime opportunity to turn things around. However, with San Jose’s history of success against Montreal, the Canadiens must clean up their execution and capitalize on their strengths to avoid another frustrating defeat.

If they can secure a win, it could be the momentum shift they need to stay in the playoff hunt.