We have only three games in the NHL scheduled for Monday, March 13, and this inter-conference duels in one of them, so make sure you read the best Avalanche vs. Canadiens betting pick and odds.

Montreal is desperate to avoid the seventh consecutive defeat when they welcome Colorado at Bell Center. The Avalanche are -278 moneyline favorites on BookMaker Sportsbook, while the total is set at 6.5 goals. These inter-conference rivals will meet for the second time this year; the Avalanche won 2-1 after overtime in Denver.

Avalanche edged the Coyotes in OT

The Colorado Avalanche (36-22-3-3, 32-32 ATS) won two out of four games on their homestay. They bounced back from a 5-2 defeat to the Los Angeles Kings with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Arizona Coyotes. Colorado is still not playing its best hockey, but the Avalanche are currently in 7th place in the Western Conference with 78 points, eight behind the leaders Vegas Golden Knights.

The Avalanche trailed 2-1 after the opening period but they locked down the visitors in the remaining two periods and allowed just nine shots in the process. Denis Malgin and Nathan MacKinnon scored in regulation for the hosts, while Cale Makar bagged a winner in OT to make it 3-2. This season, MacKinnon is Colorado’s top point producer with 79 points (G 28, A 51), followed by Mikko Rantanen with 76 (G 42, A 34), and Makar with 52 points (G 15, A 37).

Alexandar Georgiev (28-14-5) is a probable goaltender against the Canadiens on Monday. The 27-year-old is conceding 2.62 goals per game this year with a .918 SV% and four shutouts.

LW Darren Helm (lower body), D Erik Johnson (ankle), LW Gabriel Landeskog (lower body), and G Pavel Francouz (lower body) are out indefinitely.

Canadiens lost another home game

The Montreal Canadiens (26-34-4-2, 37-29) returned home from a four-game road trip on which they suffered three straight defeats. The Habs then opened a four-game home stand with three straight losses, two of which came in the shootout. The most recent one came to the New Jersey Devils, who celebrated a 3-1 victory over Montreal. The Canadiens are now in 15th position in the Eastern Conference with 58 points, 11 more than the bottom-placed Columbus Blue Jackets.

Montreal was down 2-0 after the first period, and although Denis Gurianov cut the deficit to half with a goal in the second period, the Devils added another one and secured a win. New Jersey deserved this W as they attempted 37 shots opposite the Canadiens’ 24. So far this season, Nick Suzuki is the only Montreal player among the top 100 in the NHL with 49 points (G 21, A 28).

Jake Allen (14-21-3) is taking his place between the pipes against the Avalanche on Monday. The 32-year-old is allowing 3.31 goals per contest this season with a .899 SV% and one shutout.

G Carey Price (knee), LW Paul Byron (hip), RW Brendan Gallagher (lower body), and C Sean Monahan (lower body) are out indefinitely and will not play against the Avs on Monday.

Trends:

Colorado:

  • 4-1 in the last five road games
  • 19-8 in the last 27 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation
  • 22-7 in the last 29 Monday games

Montreal:

  • 0-4 in the last four home games
  • 1-8 in the last nine when their opponent allows two goals or less in their previous game
  • 7-15 in the last 22 in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation

Colorado Avalanche vs. Montreal Canadiens Pick

The Avalanche won eight of their previous 12 games, but they will have to get at least two wins on their four-game road trip. I believe they are much better than Montreal and I am backing them to open that road trip with a W on Monday. Colorado is scoring 3.16 goals per game opposite Montreal’s 2.67 goals per contest, while the Avalanche are allowing 2.78 gpg opposite the Canadiens’ 3.55. Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar have a nice matchup here, and I expect them to lead their team to another victory.

Pick: Take the Avalanche at -1.5 Puck Line (-112)

The Total

Jake Allen conceded multiple goals in six of his last seven starts and given the Habs allowed 3+ in each of their previous six games, I am backing the visitors to score three or four without trouble. Montreal’s offense is not playing well enough to ensure me bet on Over, but I am relying on the Avs here. Over is 6-1 in the Avalanche’s last seven vs. Atlantic Division rivals, Over is 7-3 in Colorado’s previous ten vs. Eastern Conference opponents, while Over is 7-2-1 in the Canadiens’ last ten home games.

Pick: Go Over 6.5 goals (-110)