Montreal Canadiens vs New York Islanders Point Spread Picks

A strong offense coupled with a below-average defense has resulted in the Canadiens going OVER in 59% of their games this season. The signs here point to another OVER. Montreal is 24th defensively and ranks in the bottom seven in killing penalties. The Islanders have scored three or more goals in nine of their last 13 games. New York's Matthew Schaefer just became the youngest defenseman to reach 50 career points in NHL history. Montreal is the fifth-highest scoring team in the NHL at 3.5 goals a game. The Canadians also have the sixth-best power-play. Montreal's Cole Caufield is the second-highest goal scorer in the NHL with 40 goals in 67 games. New York came back from down 2-0 to edge Montreal, 4-3, in overtime on the road during the team's first meeting this season on Feb. 26. That was the third time in the last four games of this series that the OVER cashed. Take the OVER.

It has been three weeks since these teams last were in action. Now, coming off the Olympic break, there is likely to be a strong rust factor. The Islanders are heavily defensive-oriented, too. They give up the third fewest goals per game in the NHL. The UNDER has cashed in nine of the Islanders’ last 10 games against Atlantic Division opponents. Both teams went UNDER in their last game before the break. Montreal defeated Winnipeg, 5-1, on the road, and New York shaded the Devils, 3-1, on the road. The Canadiens are a below-average defensive team. The Islanders, however, are averaging just 2.5 goals a game during their last nine games. They average only 2.8 goals, which ranks 24th, and they are 30th on the power play. Take the UNDER. 

A pair of weak offensive teams clash tonight at UBS Arena, with New York three points out of the final wild-card spot, held by Monreal. The Habs rank 17th on the power play and 30th in shots on goal. The defense is eighth in penalty killing. New York is 26th in the NHL in scoring (2.70 per game), last on the power play, and 30th in shooting percentage. The defense is 10th in save percentage (.906) and has allowed five goals in the last three games. The Islanders are on a 19-10-2 run UNDER the total. When these teams last met it was a 2-1 final and this shapes up as another defensive duel. Play Montreal/New York UNDER the total. 

New York's defense is 12th in the NHL in goals allowed and ninth in save percentage (.906). That defense was on display in the last game, a 3-0 win against Buffalo. While the Islanders are working on two days of rest, the Canadiens are working on just one after a 6-3 loss at Boston. Last-place Montreal is getting outscored by 25 goals, the second-worst differential in the Eastern Conference. The offense is 20th in goals scored, while the defense is last in goals allowed (3.83 goals per game) and 31st in save percentage (.878). They're on a 4-11 run, so back the visitors with the superior defense. Play New York.