The Penguins host the Canadiens in the second half of a home-and-home. Welcome back to NHL Predictions here with Last Word On Hockey! Each day, we provide in-depth analysis, insights, and predictions for games around the NHL. In tonight’s matchup, Montreal looks to beat the Penguins for a third-straight time this season.
NHL Predictions: Pittsburgh Penguins vs Montreal Canadiens
Head-to-Head: Canadiens 2-0 Penguins
Time: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
How to Watch: Sportsnet+, TVAS, SNE, CITY, SN-PIT
Team Canada Captain Sidney Crosby and his Pittsburgh Penguins host 2026 Winter Olympic hopeful Nick Suzuki and his Montreal Canadiens in the Steel City.
Penguins Story
These teams play in the second half of a back-to-back. The Penguins lost the first game on Saturday night by a score of 4-0. With the loss, Pittsburgh has now lost eight-straight games, tumbling down the standings. They are just four points up from being last in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins are in freefall right now, with their lack of defensive structure having exposed them, in addition to a struggle to score recently. Unlike in previous years, where this would be a very troubling stretch, the Penguins were expected to be this kind of team before this season, and this recent stretch is more of a regression to prior expectations.
Sidney Crosby continues to lead the team with 35 points in 34 games. Behind them is Evgeni Malkin, who is still injured and is week-to-week, yet still sits second in team scoring. With the string of losses, the Penguins have begun moving away from optimal lineups, instead opting to showcase their veterans, looking to move them later on in the season. Players to keep an eye on include forwards Kevin Hayes and Danton Heinen, along with defencemen like Connor Clifton and Matt Dumba. In addition to these potentially lower valued veterans, keep an eye on high-value players like Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, and Erik Karlsson, all three of whom were rumoured to be in trade talks earlier this summer. With Stuart Skinner in goal yesterday, expect Arturs Silovs to get back into the lineup tonight. However, this is a good chance to add our disclaimer. Please check social media for the very latest lineup news before locking in your daily fantasy rosters.
Canadiens Story
With the win, the Canadiens have won two straight. They have a record of 19-12-4 on this season. They are just one point behind the Detroit Red Wings for first in the Atlantic division, while Montreal also has a game in hand. Crucially, the Florida Panthers are just two points behind the Canadiens, but with the Canadiens’ recent stretch, they’ve given themselves some room in the playoff race. Montreal, a team that looked like it was beginning to struggle in November, has found its game in December and is looking like one of the best teams in the East. Expect them to come hard at Pittsburgh again, trying to close out the season series going 3-0 on Pittsburgh.
NHL Prediction
Montreal is trending up words while the Penguins continue to spiral downwards. Expect this to hold, and expect the Canadiens to get a third win on the season against Pittsburgh.
NHL Prediction: Canadiens Win 3-1
Prop Bet of the Night
The Penguins goal scoring has trended downwards in recent games, while Montreal is good for at least three-to-four goals per game. With this, a popular prop bet of goals under 5 with odds of +260 is a good bet.
Main Photo Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
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The post NHL Predictions: December 21st with Montreal Canadiens at Pittsburgh Penguins appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.