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Florida vs. Montreal: NHL Match Prediction
In the only evening game in the NHL on December 28, Florida will try to beat Montreal. The Panthers continue to fight for leadership in the East, while the Canadians are trying to climb out of the basement of the conference table. Both teams suffered a defeat before the Christmas break and intend to start a new winning streak. Who will manage to take two points? Read about it in our forecast
Command Analysis
Florida Panthers
USACurrent form
Florida lacks stability during the current regular season, but even without it, Paul Maurice team is in third place in the conference standings. The Panthers have earned 46 points in 36 starts and are unlikely to climb higher in the near future. The "Cats" had a good last road trip, but after a victory in Seattle (2:1, B), they were routed in Vancouver (0:4) and Calgary (0:3) and did not score a single puck. This greatly angered Aleksander Barkov team, and they scored 11 accurate shots in matches against Edmonton (6:5) and Minnesota (6:1). The Panthers beat St. Louis with some difficulty in the last game at home (2:1, OT), and the day before they confidently dealt with Tampa (4:2), but they burned out emotionally and a day later lost to the Lightning on their home court (0:4).
The hosts lack stability in their attack. In the last seven games, they failed to score a single goal three times, while in the previous five games they scored as many as 17 accurate shots. Sam Reinhart remains the Panthers' top scorer with 45 points (22+23) in the goal+pass system. At the moment, the forward ranks ninth in the list of the league most productive hockey players.
In the second half of December, the club from the state of the same name has not been performing well on its half of the court and in general cannot boast of reliable play during this season. Sergei Bobrovsky has reflected only 89.55% of shots on his own possessions and made only one shutout in 24 games.
Disqualifications and injuries
Johan Gadjovic, Jesper Boqvist and Niko Mikkola will not play against the Habs.
Interesting trends for betting
- Florida averages 3.50 goals per game
The Panthers have been showing a productive attack this season, and in recent matches they have greatly improved their scoring.
- The Panthers are blocking 16 shots per game.
The hosts regularly help their goalies, but this does not always save the team from conceding goals.
Montreal Canadiens
CanadaCurrent form
Montreal is unable to climb out of the conference table basement and is only in 14th place in the East. The Canadians have earned 31 points in 34 games and are gradually moving away from the playoff zone. Currently, the club from the province of Quebec is seven points behind Ottawa, which is in eighth place. Martin Saint-Louis men had a good stretch before Christmas and, after a victory over Buffalo (6:1), they twice dealt with Detroit quite easily (4:3 and 5:1). In the last game, Nick Suzuki team could not cope with the onslaught of Columbus (4:5), although they took the lead at the start of the final 20 minutes.
The Habs have been playing well offensively in late December, scoring 19 goals in their last four games. Overall, the visitors have been lacking offensive intensity up front, scoring just 2.97 goals per game. The Montreal captain is his team leading scorer. Nick Suzuki has 35 goals (11+24) and has no rivals among his teammates.
Samuel Montembeault has stopped 90.03% of the shots and is allowing almost three goals per game on average. The Canadian goalie has no alternative, as Kaidan Primeau is allowing almost every fifth shot into his territory. In the second half of December, the Canadiens were not so bad in defense and allowed only 14 goals in the last five games.
Disqualifications and injuries
Corey Price won't be helping his teammates in Florida. Patrik Laine participation is questionable.
Interesting trends for betting
- Montreal averages 2.97 goals per game
The Habs have not shown a strong level of offensive play since the start of the season.
- Canadians average 10.32 penalty minutes per game.
Guests are sent off five times on average per game.
Trends
Bet 1st period: total over 1.5 goals
In four of Florida five games, the first period was productive.
1.70Bet 2nd period: Florida will score
Florida has scored in the second period in four of its five games.
1.30Tip and bets
Florida stumbled in the last game before the break, so the break should benefit Paul Maurice team. The Panthers had a successful December overall and deservedly reached the leading three in the East. Although Montreal won three of the previous four games, it did not demonstrate any extraordinary level of play. The Canadiens dealt with the conference outsiders, and in matches against the leaders of the table, they are often routed. We suggest betting on a victory for the hosts in regular time.
Our prediction is Florida victory at 1.55
Bet on individual total
The Panthers have scored 17 goals in their last five games and have taken advantage of their chances very well. Montreal plays an open style and often allows a lot of goals. The Canadians are one of the most conceding teams in the league, so it is unlikely that the hosts will have any serious problems with scoring in this match.
Forecast - individual total of "Florida" over 3.5 goals for 1.80
Bet on total
The last games involving the "Panthers" were extremely productive. Meetings between the opponents are usually very bright and rarely boring. Since 2022, the teams have played only one match that did not please the stands with at least six accurate shots. We think that the next match will not be low-scoring either. Let bet on the total over.
Forecast - total over 5.5 goals for 1.65
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