New Jersey Devils vs Montreal Canadiens Picks and Predictions November 7th 2024

New Jersey Devils vs Montreal Canadiens November 7th 2024

Looking to win big? The Canadiens and Devils face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Devils are hosting the game at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The odds for this Eastern conference game currently have the Devils as the -1.5 goal favorite with the over/under line sitting at 6.5 goals.

Montreal vs. New Jersey Key Information

Montreal fell to 4-7-2 with a 3-1 loss to the Penguins. As +1.5 goal underdogs, the Canadiens failed to cover the puck line. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.

Montreal’s lone goal came in the third period, cutting the Penguins’ lead to 2-1 before Pittsburgh added an empty-netter. Christian Dvorak scored for the Canadiens at 14:28 in the third.

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. Emil Heineman picked up his first assist, while Juraj Slafkovsky added his seventh assist of the year.

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The Canadiens fired 26 shots on goal but were held scoreless until the third period. They recorded 20 giveaways and were unable to capitalize on any power play opportunities.

The Canadiens’ defense gave up the first two goals of the game, one at 15:57 in the first period and another at 18:40 in the second. After cutting the deficit to 2-1, they conceded an empty-netter with 45 seconds remaining. Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, and the defense recorded 4 takeaways and 28 hits.

New Jersey fell to 8-5-2 after a 3-0 road loss to the Flames. The Devils were favored on the puck line, but failed to cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 3 fell short.

The game was scoreless until the third period, when the Flames broke through with 5:34 remaining. New Jersey’s offense struggled, managing only 22 shots on goal and committing 19 giveaways.

New Jersey’s offense struggled in their 3-0 loss to Calgary, failing to score on 22 shots. The Devils also had 19 giveaways in the game.

They were held scoreless through the first two periods, and after a 0-0 tie entering the third, they couldn’t find the net. This marked the first time this season that New Jersey was shut out.

Defensively, the Devils held firm through two periods, but they gave up the first goal at 5:34 in the third, followed by two more, including an empty-netter. New Jersey’s defense finished with 5 takeaways and 22 hits, while their goalie made 29 saves with a 93.5% save percentage.

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Canadiens to take down the Devils on the road. With the moneyline currently at +250, I’m placing my bet on the Canadiens straight-up.

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

For those looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.

Devils Aim to Extend Winning Streak, Face Canadiens on Losing Slide

The New Jersey Devils, coming off a successful Western Canada road trip, look to carry their momentum back to the East Coast as they host the struggling Montreal Canadiens on Thursday in Newark, N.J. While the Devils have won three of their last four games, the Canadiens enter the matchup on a four-game losing streak, having dropped eight of their past 10 outings (2-6-2).

Devils Finding Their Groove with Strong Defense

New Jersey’s latest victory, a 3-0 shutout against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, showcased solid goaltending and disciplined defense. Goalie Jake Allen, formerly with the Canadiens, was flawless, stopping all 31 shots for his second shutout of the season. This win followed a 6-0 shutout of Vancouver, highlighting the Devils’ improved defensive play.

“We had some good effort from our guys throughout the trip,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. “You talk about the two shutouts… there’s things we have to do a lot better, no question, but we’re learning how to win these types of games and learning how to defend a lead.”

Allen credited his recent success to observing the calm approach of teammate Jacob Markstrom, who has also been solid in net.

“I tried to take a page out of (Markstrom’s) last two games,” Allen noted. “He played a lot more calm than previous games.”

On the offensive end, Jesper Bratt has been a consistent force for New Jersey, tallying nine points (two goals, seven assists) over the last eight games. With 12 assists, he leads the Devils in that category, while his total of 15 points is just one short of captain Nico Hischier’s team-high 16 points. Hischier, who played a crucial role in last season’s series against Montreal, will look to lead the Devils to another win against a Canadiens team struggling to hold leads.

Canadiens in Search of a Breakthrough

Montreal’s latest setback, a 3-2 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, underscored their difficulties in closing out games. Despite taking a lead in the third period, the Canadiens couldn’t hold on, falling short in yet another close contest.

“Right now we’re fighting. We’re searching for results,” said Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher. “We’re working hard but it’s not easy. This is a tough league. Once we figure it out we’ll be better off but we can’t let too much time go by.”

Joel Armia provided a spark with a goal and an assist in the loss to Calgary, and Brendan Gallagher also scored. However, the Canadiens have struggled to convert their hard work into victories, particularly in games where they’ve held late leads. The team will need to address these issues to turn their season around.

Slumping Stars Need to Step Up for Montreal

Key Canadiens scorers, including Cole Caufield and captain Nick Suzuki, have hit a brief dry spell. Caufield, who scored an impressive 10 goals in the first 11 games of the season, has been held without a point in consecutive contests. Suzuki, who had recorded 13 points (four goals, nine assists) over his previous nine games, also went scoreless in the last two matchups.

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Their scoring slump has compounded Montreal’s recent struggles, putting extra pressure on the rest of the lineup to step up and fill the gap. Both Caufield and Suzuki have been essential to the Canadiens’ offensive success, and their ability to rediscover their form will be critical to Montreal’s chances against New Jersey.

Matchup Outlook

New Jersey took two of three meetings against Montreal last season, with Hischier and Bratt both playing key roles in those victories. The Devils will look to continue their defensive success and exploit the Canadiens’ inability to close out games. Meanwhile, Montreal must break through their scoring struggles and find a way to protect any lead they manage to take.

As New Jersey returns to home ice, they’ll aim to extend their winning streak and deepen Montreal’s ongoing slump. With the Devils’ current form and Montreal’s recent challenges, New Jersey appears well-positioned to tag the Canadiens with a fifth straight loss.