Find out why Todd Cordell's NHL betting picks believe Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson will lead the way for the Habs in a high-scoring Original Six matchup with the Red Wings tonight.
NHL
The Montreal Canadiens have won seven of their past 10 games and gotten themselves right back in the playoff hunt.
They could move into a Wild Card spot by night’s end if they’re able to get a result against the Detroit Red Wings. That’ll be easier said than done, though, as the Wings have ramped things up since making a coaching change.
My Canadiens vs. Red Wings predictions and NHL picks for January 23 expect a competitive, eventful affair between a pair of Atlantic Division foes jockeying for much-needed points.
My Canadiens pick
Over 5.5 (-125 at BET99)
My Canadiens analysis
The Detroit Red Wings were struggling mightily to create offense prior to the coaching change. It’s been a completely different story since Todd McLellan took over.
The Wings have scored 34 goals over the past 10 games, which is the third-highest total in the NHL. Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond have been borderline unstoppable at the top of the lineup while Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat have rekindled their magic on the second line.
Detroit hasn’t fared as well at keeping the puck out, however, and I don’t see that changing against the Montreal Canadiens.
For one, Cam Talbot is really struggling. The veteran netminder is following last season’s trajectory in that he was surprisingly excellent out of the gate but has seen his play tail off as the year moves along.
Talbot owns an .869 SV% since the holiday break concluded, ranking him 58th among 62 eligible netminders in that span. He’s likely going to have problems against a Canadiens squad that ranks fourth in expected goals and 11th in real ones over its last 10 games.
The Habs are generating scoring opportunities in bulk. With the likes of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Patrik Laine, and Lane Hutson at the top of their games, Montreal is doing a good job of converting a strong process into results.
Five straight head-to-head meetings have featured at least six goals, including both times these sides played back in December. Look for that trend to continue Thursday night.
Over 5.5
Cole Caufield anytime goal
Lane Hutson Over 0.5 assists
Caufield has been a scoring machine this season. He has 24 goals through 47 games and has found the back of the net at least once in 43% of his appearances.
While Caufield has gone four straight games without a goal, that coincides with a big step up in competition. He had to contend with the Maple Leafs, Stars, Lightning, and Rangers in that span.
What’s important is Caufield still generated opportunities, leading Montreal in attempts, shots on goal, scoring chances, and expected goals over the last four games. He should have an easier time converting against Talbot and the Red Wings.
As for Hutson, he has assists in nine consecutive games. He often shares the ice with Caufield at 5v5 and quarterbacks the top power play, putting him in prime position to create a goal.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Lane Hutson has assists in all four career games against Detroit. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Red Wings.
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Todd Cordell is a data-driven betting analyst. He uses numbers to help identify value across a wide variety of sports, with NHL being his specialty. Shot props, in particular, have proven to be a very fruitful market. Todd has served as a betting analyst in the public sphere for many years, most recently with theScore covering the NHL and MLB.
When not writing about sports betting, Todd stays busy analyzing the New Jersey Devils with a fine-tooth comb for InfernalAccess, his Devils-centric blog. Todd attended Sheridan College and graduated in 2014 with a diploma in print journalism.
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