Montréal Canadiens vs New Jersey Devils Picks and Predictions February 8th 2025

Bedeviled Habs Seek Rare Home Win vs. New Jersey

The New Jersey Devils made history on Jan. 25 by becoming the first NHL team to win nine straight games against the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal. Now, they’ll aim for an even 10 when they visit the struggling Canadiens for a Saturday matinee.

Devils Eyeing Another Sweep

New Jersey has won both matchups this season, including a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory last month when Jack Hughes buried a breakaway goal with 54 seconds left. The Devils also secured a 5-3 win in Newark on Nov. 7.

This marks the final game before the two-week 4 Nations Face-Off break for the Devils, while Montreal will be playing the first game of a back-to-back that concludes Sunday against Tampa Bay.

Find expert NHL betting picks and get ahead of the action!

Currently sitting third in the Metropolitan Division, the Devils come off a 3-1 home loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, their third loss in five games. New Jersey was outshot 40-15 in that game, including a staggering 25-9 over the first two periods, leading to frustration from both players and fans.

“We had times we were OK, but OK is not good enough,” Devils forward Stefan Noesen said. “Hopefully we can learn from this and understand that’s what it takes to win. We were doubled in shots, way too cute. At some point, we have to figure this out.”

Despite the loss, New Jersey still holds a six-point lead over Columbus for third place in the division.

Canadiens Hoping to End Home Skid

Montreal has struggled recently, losing six of its last seven games (1-5-1). They return home after a 1-2-0 California road trip that ended with a 6-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.

The Canadiens fought back in that game, pulling within 4-3 on Logan Mailloux’s goal with 6:23 remaining, but Kevin Fiala answered for the Kings just 35 seconds later. Trevor Moore later sealed the win with an empty-netter.

“I think we were, honestly, just playing catchup for that whole game,” Canadiens center Jake Evans said. “We had some bright spots, but when you’re chasing the game, sometimes your defensive game starts to lag, and that’s what happened.”

Montreal’s lone win on the road trip was a 4-3 victory over San Jose, highlighted by Joel Armia’s short-handed game-winner with 4:04 left in regulation.

Despite sitting six points behind Detroit for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, the Canadiens have struggled at home, going 13-10-4 and losing their last three home games while being outscored 12-4.

Want to Bet Smarter?

Get the Latest NHL Picks and Predictions Now!

Sign Up Now!

Can Montreal Snap New Jersey’s Streak?

The Canadiens have their work cut out for them as they attempt to break a long losing streak against the Devils. Will Montreal finally turn things around at home, or will New Jersey continue its dominance?