by OddsShark (@OddsShark) – Sponsored Post
The Calgary Flames will be looking to remain unbeaten at home against the Montreal Canadiens when they continue a three-game series against the slumping Habs as a -115 wager (bet $115 to win $100) on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Calgary extended its recent home dominance over the Canadiens with a decisive 4-2 victory on Friday, and now sits just six points back of fourth-place Montreal in the North Division standings going into Saturday evening’s matchup at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Canadiens vs Flames | OddsShark Matchup Report
The Flames once again stuck to the steady defensive game plan in Friday night’s victory that has worked so well against Montreal this season. Calgary limited the Canadiens to just 20 shots on goal on the night, and responded well to adversity by quickly robbing Montreal of an early lead with a late first-period goal. That extends a trend that has seen the Flames hold opponents to 20 or fewer shots on goal on four occasions during the team’s current 4-2-0 run.
Overall, the Flames have frustrated opposing snipers during their resurgent six-game stretch, allowing just 11 total goals during a run that has featured victories over Toronto and Edmonton, along with a pair of wins over the Canadiens. That marks a dramatic improvement after surrendering over four goals per game during a preceding four-game losing streak.
The Flames’ recent stingy performances produced steady returns for bettors taking the UNDER at online sports betting sites, which had prevailed in 10 of the last 12 meetings between these two teams prior to Friday night. However, the team has produced uneven results in recent clashes on home ice, with the OVER going 3-2-3 over their past eight.
Friday’s win also breathed new life into Calgary’s moribund playoff hopes. The team has regularly failed to take advantage of the Canadiens’ recent and lengthy stretch of inconsistency, but they are now poised to re-enter the hunt for a postseason berth if they can make it three in a row on home ice for just the second time this season.
The Canadiens will be desperate to rediscover a scoring touch as they prepare for Saturday’s matchup sporting -105 odds at sportsbooks. With Friday’s loss, Montreal has now fallen to defeat in eight of its past 11 overall, and continues to come up short on the road, where the team has now lost 11 of its past 16 since starting the campaign on a torrid 6-0-2 run.
Montreal has scored more than three goals just five times during that stretch, posting wins in four of those contests. However, the Canadiens have scored just four total goals during their current three-game losing streak in Calgary, and have averaged just 2.44 goals per game in nine visits since 2013.
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