Montréal Canadiens vs Minnesota Wild Picks and Predictions January 30th 2025

Montréal Canadiens vs Minnesota Wild January 30th 2025

Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Wild versus the Canadiens? The puck drops at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC. The odds for this non-conference game currently have the Canadiens as the -1.5 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 6 goals.

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Minnesota vs. Montreal Key Information

With a 2-1 overtime win against the Maple Leafs, the Wild improved to 30-17-4. Minnesota, favored on the puck line, didn’t cover, and the total was set at 6 goals, but the teams combined for just 3.

Ryan Hartman scored first for the Wild at 9:41 in the opening period, but the Maple Leafs tied it with just 52 seconds left in the first. Matt Boldy netted the game-winner at 2:14 in overtime.

Ryan Hartman got the Wild on the board with his third goal of the season, as Minnesota found the net for the first time at 9:41 in the first period. Matt Boldy later secured the win with his sixth goal of the season, coming 2:14 into overtime.

Jared Spurgeon added two assists, bringing his season total to three. Minnesota fired 33 shots on goal but turned the puck over 15 times.

After allowing a late first-period goal to Toronto, the Wild’s defense shut down the Maple Leafs, not allowing another goal. Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves with a 96.4% save percentage, and the defense added 7 takeaways and 22 hits.

• Spanning across their last three games, Minnesota have gone 2-1. The team has also been excellent vs the spread, going 2-1. Their over-under record in these games was 1-1-1.
• Across Minnesota’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 4-6. The team’s record vs the puck line was just 4-6, in addition to an over-under mark of 4-5-1.

With a 3-1 loss to the Penguins, the Canadiens now sit at 24-21-5 for the season. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined 4 goals fell short of that mark. Montreal, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover. The Penguins scored first, with Sidney Crosby finding the net at 4:03 in the first period.

Montreal didn’t score until the third period, when Christian Dvorak made it 2-1 at 14:28. The Penguins added another goal at 19:15, sealing the game. Montreal’s defense allowed 23 shots on goal, while their offense managed 26 shots.

In their latest game, the Canadiens managed 26 shots on goal but were held to just one score. Christian Dvorak found the net for the first time this season, with his third shot on goal. The goal came 5:32 into the third period, narrowing the score to 2-1.

Emil Heineman earned his first assist of the season on Dvorak’s goal, while Juraj Slafkovsky picked up his seventh assist. Montreal struggled with giveaways, recording 20 in the game.

Montreal’s defense gave up the first two goals in their previous game, with both coming from Sidney Crosby. The first was at 15:57 in the 1st period, and the second came at 18:40 in the 2nd on a power play. The Canadiens cut the lead to 2-1 in the 3rd period, but they allowed an empty-net goal with 45 seconds left. Goalie Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense added 4 takeaways and 28 hits.

For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Canadiens to secure a victory over the Wild at home. With the moneyline currently set at -119, I’m locking in my bet on the Canadiens straight-up.

For a puck line pick, we are going with the Canadiens to win and cover. Look for the Canadiens to win this one by multiple goals over the Wild.

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.

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Wild Look to Keep Momentum Against Slumping Canadiens

The Minnesota Wild overcame their first game without star forward Kirill Kaprizov in impressive fashion, securing a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now, they aim to build on that success when they visit the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens find themselves in a critical stretch, hoping to snap a three-game losing streak that has put their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

Wild Adjusting Without Kaprizov

Minnesota received tough news earlier this week when it was announced that Kaprizov, the team’s leader in goals (23), assists (29), and points (52), will miss at least four weeks following surgery for a lower-body injury. Despite the setback, the Wild delivered a strong, structured team performance against Toronto.

Head coach John Hynes praised the depth scoring and overall team effort that fueled the win.

“More often than not, we play a really strong team game. Tonight, we played a very structured game. … We had depth scoring, but I also think that those guys brought energy to the team. I think that the competitive level throughout the lineup was where it needs to be.”

The Wild have been road warriors this season, boasting a 19-5-3 record away from home. Their 19 road wins lead the NHL, and their five regulation losses are the fewest in the league.

Adding to the emotion of Thursday’s matchup, veteran goaltender Marc-André Fleury will start in what is expected to be his final game in his home province of Quebec. The 40-year-old, who grew up a Canadiens fan, will have over 100 family and friends in attendance for the special occasion.

“Always feel such an honor to play on (the Canadiens’) ice. It’ll be very special, for sure.”

Canadiens Searching for Stability Amid Losing Streak

Montreal has hit a rough patch, dropping three straight games (0-2-1) after an impressive 13-3-1 stretch that thrust them into the playoff conversation. They now sit two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Center Jake Evans emphasized the urgency of turning things around before the losses snowball.

“It’s a key time. We can’t let the losses pile up and take us out of the race. It’s time for us to show that we can still be a playoff team.”

The Canadiens’ struggles were evident in their latest loss, a 4-1 defeat to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. It marked their longest losing streak since an 0-5-1 stretch earlier in the season.

Defenseman Kaiden Guhle pointed to the need for a return to simpler, more effective hockey.

“I don’t want to say we’ve gotten away from a simple game, but I think we have maybe a little bit. … I don’t want to say a pucks-in, pucks-out mentality, but I think that’s something we have to get back to.”

Unfortunately for Montreal, they will be without Guhle for the foreseeable future after he suffered a lacerated left quadricep against Winnipeg. The injury required surgery, and he has been ruled out indefinitely.

Guhle has been a key piece on the Canadiens’ blue line, averaging 21:14 of ice time per game. Head coach Martin St. Louis acknowledged that his absence will need to be addressed collectively.

“When you lose a player like that, you don’t replace him with one player. It’s our collective game that will help us get through this, so that’s what we will focus on.”

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What to Expect

Minnesota has already shown it can win without Kaprizov, relying on a strong defensive structure and balanced scoring. Meanwhile, Montreal faces a turning point in its season, needing a response to avoid slipping further in the playoff race.

With Fleury making his final hometown start and both teams having something to prove, this game promises to be an intense battle. Will the Wild continue their road dominance, or can the Canadiens rally and snap their skid? The answer awaits in Montreal.