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The 39-16-4 Florida Panthers welcome the 23-28-8 Montreal Canadiens at Amerant Bank Arena on Thursday, Feb 29 at 7 p.m. ET for a matchup airing live on ESPN+, TSN2, RDS, and BSFL.
With a strong home record of five consecutive wins, the Panthers aim to extend their streak, while the Canadiens strive to bounce back from a three-game losing streak away from home.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Florida Panthers: Game preview
The Canadiens are averaging 2.76 goals per game and conceding 3.51, while their power play success rate is 19.4%.
Nick Suzuki leads Montreal with 23 goals and 33 assists, while Cole Caufield follows closely with 19 goals and 27 assists. Mike Matheson has contributed 35 assists. Sam Montembeault holds a 13-10-4 record in goal, boasting a 3.16 GAA and a .915 SV%.
Meanwhile, Florida is showcasing its offensive prowess by averaging 3.27 goals per game, while maintaining a solid defensive stance with only 2.39 goals against per game. Its power play operates at a 26% success rate.
Sam Reinhart has been a standout performer, contributing 39 goals and 29 assists, while Matthew Tkachuk is closely behind with 21 goals and 46 assists. Moreover, Sergei Bobrovsky has a solid 29-11-2 record in goal with a 2.35 GAA and a .916 save percentage.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Florida Panthers: Head-to-head and significant numbers
- The two teams have faced off 112 times, combining the regular season and playoffs.
- The Canadiens have an overall record of 49-54-6-3 against the Panthers.
- In faceoffs, the Panthers have a 51.4% win rate, while the Canadiens have 52.6%.
- On penalty kills, the Canadiens boast a 73.8% success rate, while the Panthers are 82.5%.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Florida Panthers: Odds and prediction
This season, the Florida Panthers have dominated as the favorites, securing victories in 34 out of 47 such games. Despite facing odds shorter than -320 in one game, the Panthers have yet to claim a win under such circumstances, indicating a 76.2% probability of winning this game.
On the other hand, the Montreal Canadiens have been labeled as the underdog on 54 occasions this season, managing to upset their opponent 19 times. Montreal has not encountered odds greater than +254, with a 28.2% chance of securing a victory in this one.
Prediction: Panthers 5 - 3 Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens vs Florida Panthers: Betting tips
Tip 1: Result: Panthers to win
Tip 2: Total goals over 6: Yes
Tip 3: Mathew Tkachuk to score anytime: Yes
Tip 4: Sam Reinhart to score first: Yes
Tip 5: Canadiens to beat the spread: No
