Carolina Hurricanes vs Montréal Canadiens Picks and Predictions March 28th 2025

Carolina Hurricanes vs Montréal Canadiens March 28th 2025

The Canadiens and Hurricanes are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Hurricanes will host the game at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC. The odds for this Eastern conference game currently have the Hurricanes as the -1.5 goal favorite with the over/under line sitting at 5.5 goals.

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Montreal vs. Carolina Key Information

• Teams: Canadiens at Hurricanes
• Where: Lenovo Center Raleigh
• Date: Friday, March 28th
• Betting Odds CAR -293 | MON +242 O/U 5.5

The Canadiens Can Win If…

Montreal’s 3-1 loss to the Penguins brought their record to 33-29-9. The Canadiens entered the game as underdogs on the puck line, and the total of 4 goals fell short of the 6.5 set before the game.

Montreal’s only goal came at 14:28 in the third period, cutting the Penguins’ lead to 2-1. But Pittsburgh sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 19:15. The Canadiens’ defense struggled, allowing the first goal at 4:03 in the first period.

Montreal’s offense struggled in their 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh, managing just one goal, which came at 14:28 in the third period. Christian Dvorak netted his first goal of the season, while Emil Heineman picked up his first assist and Juraj Slafkovsky added his seventh.

The Canadiens fired 26 shots on goal but were hampered by 20 giveaways. They failed to score on the power play and were shut out until the third period.

Montreal’s defense allowed the first two goals in their recent game against Pittsburgh, one at 15:57 in the first period and another at 18:40 in the second. They also gave up a late empty-netter, making the final score 3-1. Goalie Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, and the Canadiens’ defense recorded 4 takeaways and 28 hits.

• The Canadiens have gone 0-3 over their last three regular season games. This includes going 1-2 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 3-0.
• Over their last ten regular season games, the Canadiens have gone 3-7 straight up. Their record against the puck line in this stretch is 8-2 to go along with an over-under mark of 7-3.

The Hurricanes Can Win If…

Carolina improved to 43-24-4 with a 4-2 road win over the Capitals. The Hurricanes covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals matched the pre-game line.

After taking a 1-0 lead, the Hurricanes allowed two goals in the final minute of the first period. They responded with three unanswered goals, including an empty-netter from Andrei Svechnikov to seal the victory.

Carolina took 45 shots on goal in their 4-2 win over Washington, with Dmitry Orlov scoring twice, bringing his season total to three. Martin Necas added his sixth goal of the season and picked up two assists, giving him 12 assists so far. Andrei Svechnikov closed out the scoring with an empty-netter, also his sixth goal of the year.

The Hurricanes scored their first goal 5:59 into the first period. After falling behind 2-1, they tied it up in the second period with Necas’ goal at the 17:31 mark. Orlov’s second goal came 14:34 into the second period, and Svechnikov’s empty-netter was scored with just 9 seconds left in the game. Carolina ended the game with 14 giveaways.

Carolina’s defense gave up two late goals in the first period, but they shut down the Capitals in the second and third, leading to a 4-2 win. Pyotr Kochetkov made 19 saves with a 90.5% save percentage, and the Hurricanes’ defense added 7 takeaways and 10 hits.

• Carolina has put together a record of 1-2 in their last three games (regular season). Their record vs the puck line sits at 1-2 in these matchups, while posting a 2-1 over-under mark.
• Through their last ten regular season contests, Carolina has a record of 8-2. Across these games, their puck line record was just 6-4, while posting an over-under record of 3-6-1.

The Lean

If you’re looking for a moneyline bet in this one, we have the Hurricanes coming out on top. However, with the lines sitting at -293, I’d recommend looking to the spread as our projections have the Hurricanes winning by more than one goal.

For a puck line prediction, our preference is the Hurricanes to secure a win and cover. Anticipate the Hurricanes to win this one by multiple goals over the Canadiens.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.

Canadiens Look to Snap Skid in Key Road Test vs. Hurricanes

The Montreal Canadiens face a crucial test on Friday night when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes, aiming to halt a four-game losing streak and keep pace in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Montreal Desperate for Turnaround

The Canadiens (33-29-9, 75 points) have slid out of wild-card position after going 0-2-2 over their past four contests, including Thursday’s 6-4 loss at Philadelphia. With just 11 games remaining, Montreal finds itself in must-win territory.

Brendan Gallagher acknowledged the stakes: “We need results. We’re not getting them. We need to rise to the challenge.”

Montreal last defeated Carolina 4-0 on Feb. 25, powered by multi-point nights from Patrik Laine and captain Nick Suzuki. The team will likely need another strong performance from that top line and starting goalie Sam Montembeault if they hope to repeat the result in Raleigh.

Head coach Martin St. Louis emphasized the importance of mindset down the stretch: “To me, it’s a little bit of pressure vs. pleasure. You got to have fun with this… We need everybody.”

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Laine continues to be a bright spot, scoring his 18th goal of the season Thursday, while Suzuki is tied for the team lead in points and continues to anchor the Canadiens’ offense.

Hurricanes Look to Rebound After Rare Loss

Despite already securing a playoff spot, the Hurricanes (43-24-4, 90 points) are still chasing momentum. They’re looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since early February after Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat to Nashville.

Carolina has relied heavily on Taylor Hall of late. The veteran winger has scored the team’s last four goals and tallied six goals and four assists over his last nine games.

“There’s something you could have done better at the end of the day,” Hall said when asked about the team’s recent inconsistencies.

Star forward Andrei Svechnikov is expected to return to the lineup after missing seven games with an upper-body injury, giving a boost to a Carolina offense that’s leaned heavily on its depth in recent weeks.

The Hurricanes will also start Frederik Andersen in goal, looking to bounce back after a modest defensive performance against the Predators.

Head coach Rod Brind’Amour pointed to the need for more from the team’s top players: “We’ve had some good wins as of late, but as a top line, we’ve got to produce,” Sebastian Aho said of his unit’s recent play.

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