Another inter-conference game in the NHL is on tap on Monday, December 19, and you must not miss out on the best Canadiens vs. Coyotes betting pick and odds.

Montreal is desperate to avoid the fourth consecutive defeat when they visit Arizona at Mullett Arena. The Coyotes are -125 moneyline favorites on BookMaker Sportsbook, while the total is set at 6 goals. These inter-conference rivals have faced once this season and the Canadiens won 6-2 in Montreal.

Canadiens’ offense is struggling

The Montreal Canadiens (14-15-2-0, 16-15 ATS) lost three games in a row including both of their two-game home stand. After losing to Ottawa on the road, the Canadiens lost to the Anaheim Ducks and Tampa Bay Lightning at home, scoring just five goals in those three defeats. Now, Montreal will open its seven-game road trip with this tilt against Arizona on Monday.

The Habs scored only one goal in a 5-1 loss to the Lightning and it was Nick Suzuki in the opening seconds of the third period. Montreal had even seven penalties and 19 penalty minutes, which cost them greatly against the vice-champions who are on a five-game winning streak. Jake Allen faced 27 shots at his goal but made only 22 saves. This season, Suzuki leads the Canadiens with 31 points (G 15, A 16), while Cole Caufield contributed 27 (G 18, A 9).

Jake Allen (9-12-0) will be looking for a better display when he takes on the Coyotes on Monday. The 32-year-old is allowing 3.33 goals per contest this year with a .897 SV% and no shutouts.

G Carey Price (knee), LW Paul Byron (hip), D David Savard (upper body), RW Brendan Gallagher (lower body), and C Sean Monahan (lower body) are out indefinitely. D Mike Matheson (lower body) is questionable to play on Monday against Arizona.

Coyotes lost to the Sabres despite having a lead twice

The Arizona Coyotes (10-15-2-2, 18-11 ATS) had a 1-0 and 22-1 lead against the Buffalo Sabres at home, but in the end, they suffered a 5-2 defeat. Still, after suffering six consecutive losses in late November and early December, Arizona did win three of the last five games. They will take a short trip to Vegas to face the Golden Knights after this game on Monday, and then will return home for another three-game stretch.

Shayne Gostisbehere and Barrett Hayton scored for the Coyotes in that 5-2 loss to Buffalo, but the defense wasn’t playing well as it allowed three goals in the final ten minutes of the game. The Sabres deserved to win as they attempted 43 shots opposite Arizona’s 31. The Coyotes have just three players with 20+ points so far in the season. Clayton Keller leads the bunch with 29 (G 12, A 17).

Karel Vejmelka is taking his place between the sticks when the Coyotes face the Habs on Monday. The 26-year-old is surrendering 3.11 goals per game with a .911 SV% and two shutouts.

LW Andrew Ladd has been placed on the injured reserve list with a knee injury, and team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.

Trends:

Montreal:

  • 7-20 in the last 27 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation
  • 7-21 in the last 28 games following a loss of three or more goals

Arizona:

  • 8-4 in the last 12 games against the Eastern Conference opponents

Montreal Canadiens vs. Arizona Coyotes Pick  

Both teams belong to the bottom three of their respective conferences, so it’s going to be hard to predict a winner here. Still, I am going with the Coyotes, not because of the fact they are playing at home, but because they are in better form at the moment. Montreal is struggling offensively and is averaging 2.74 goals per game this season. Arizona’s offense is only slightly better with 2.79 goals per contest, but at least the Coyotes scored nine goals in their last three games, while Montreal scored five in that span.

Pick: Take the Coyotes to win (-125)

The Total

I mentioned Arizona and Montreal’s poor offenses, so don’t expect to see a lot of goals in this one. I am backing Jake Allen to bounce back from a weak display against Tampa Bay and limit the hosts to two or three goals. On the other hand, I can’t expect much from the Habs when it comes to the offensive end, and I’d be surprised to see more than six goals in this duel. Under is 11-4 in the Canadiens’ last 15 road games; Under is 4-1-1 in Montreal’s previous six overall, while Under is 4-1 in the Canadiens’ last five vs. Central Division rivals.

Pick: Go Under 6 goals (-110)