Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens Prediction, Picks & Odds | 22 Jan 2026

NHL Betting Preview: Sabres vs Canadiens

The Buffalo Sabres meet the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre, with face-off scheduled for 20:00 on Thursday, January 22.

We think that the Canadiens should prove too strong for the Sabres. Therefore, it’s all about going to the Moneyline to back the home team and there’s lots of juice in the -139 available.

Buffalo Sabres won their previous game by a 5-3 scoreline. It was on the road against Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena. Noah Oestlund bagged two goals, while Tage Thompson, Konsta Helenius and Peyton Krebs scored once.

Montreal Canadiens made it back-to-back wins in their last game. Landing a 4-3 home victory against Minnesota Wild at Bell Centre. The goals were shared around between four players including Cole Caufield.

Head-to-Head Statistics

The Sabres won the last encounter between the pair. Enjoying a 5-3 triumph when facing the Habs at KeyBank Center. In the past 10 H2H meetings, the Habs have won seven.

Starting Goalies

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (Confirmed)

Season	W-L-OTL:	GAA:	SV%:	SO:
24/25	15-7-2	2.8	.904	0
23/24	27-22-4	2.57	.910	5

Sam Montembeault (Confirmed)

Season	W-L-OTL:	GAA:	SV%:	SO:
24/25	10-8-4	3.5	.872	0
23/24	16-15-9	3.14	.903	0

6 wins, 3 losses and 1 overtime loss, averaging 3.9 goals from 24.5 shots on goal, with a 14.6% powerplay efficiency. The Sabres have given up 3.2 goals from 31.6 shots, averaging 3.8 penalties with a penalty-killing efficiency of 81.6%.

Tage Thompson is the top points scorer with 14 points, 6 goals and 8 assists, with Alex Tuch recording 9 points, 5 goals and 4 assists, in the past 10 games. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have a 3.18 goal against average with a .901 save percentage.

The Habs have 6 wins, 3 losses and 1 overtime loss, averaging 3.5 goals from 27.7 shots on goal, with a 15.0% powerplay efficiency. They have conceded 3.1 goals from 27.1 shots, averaging 4.4 penalties per game with a penalty-killing efficiency of 84.1%.

The top points scorer is Lane Hutson with 12 points, 3 goals and 9 assists, while Juraj Slafkovsky is next best after having 10 points, 5 goals and 5 assists. Goalie Sam Montembeault have a 3.15 GAA with a .900 SV%.

Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens Prediction & Picks

We’ve broken down Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens from every angle, offering our expert match prediction, expected final score, best player prop recommendations and a well-constructed bet builder.

Game Prediction

Montreal Canadiens should have the edge over their opponents and our pick is to side with them on the Moneyline. There is a tempting -139 for the home team to win this NHL encounter.

The formbook is always a smart starting point when making hockey picks. Up-to-date NHL team news is just as important, while the stats we provide often reveal valuable insights.

Key Sabres vs Canadiens stats:

• Canadiens have won 4 of their last 5 games at home.
• Canadiens have won 7 of their last 10 games at home.
• Canadiens have won 2 consecutive games.
• Canadiens have won 7 of their last 10 games against Sabres.

Canadiens Moneyline Probability

The top betting apps are estimating that there is a 58.1% likelihood of this pick winning. Taking all factors into consideration, our cappers think there’s a stronger chance of success and have a probability interval between 65-70%. The wager can be recommended for this precise reason.

Those who are looking for more value when backing Montreal should consider the Puck Line. Place a wager on them to cover the spread that makes the most appeal at the odds.

Top up your wagering strategy by unlocking the top betting offers including free bets, promos, and sign-up deals.

Our Game Prediction

Canadiens Moneyline @ -139 Bet Now

BetMGM Promo Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Get Bonus T&C apply. Gamble responsibly 18+

Disclosure: This preview contains affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. T&Cs apply. We only recommend licensed and regulated operators. See our Editorial Policy. Pick odds and lines reflect the price available at the time of publication (Jan 22, 00:56). Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Player Prop Picks

Top Pick: Jack Quinn Over 1.5 Shots -164

Jack Quinn (Sabres) has recorded Over 1.5 shots on goal in 8 of the past 10 games. We recommend backing the -164 that he is able to cover the line, with this Shots on Goal wager hopefully providing a return.

Pick odds and lines correct at publication. Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Correct Score Prediction

Sabres 2 - 3 Canadiens

A potentially entertaining bet is going for the Canadiens to win by a 3-2 scoreline. At odds of +850, there’s the chance to get a handsome return should this wager win.

Latest Correct Score Odds

Score

Sabres

Canadiens

1-0

Sabres

+6000

Canadiens

+6000

2-0

Sabres

+5500

Canadiens

+5500

2-1

Sabres

+1700

Canadiens

+1600

3-0

Sabres

+4000

Canadiens

+3500

3-1

Sabres

+2200

Canadiens

+2000

3-2

Sabres

+950

Canadiens

+850

4-0

Sabres

+5000

Canadiens

+4000

4-1

Sabres

+1900

Canadiens

+1600

4-2

Sabres

+1700

Canadiens

+1500

4-3

Sabres

+1000

Canadiens

+950

5-0

Sabres

+9000

Canadiens

+6600

5-1

Sabres

+3300

Canadiens

+2400

5-2

Sabres

+1900

Canadiens

+1500

5-3

Sabres

+2400

Canadiens

+2000

5-4

Sabres

+1800

Canadiens

+1700

6-0

Sabres

+13000

Canadiens

+10000

6-1

Sabres

+7000

Canadiens

+5000

6-2

Sabres

+3500

Canadiens

+2800

6-3

Sabres

+3000

Canadiens

+2500

6-4

Sabres

+4500

Canadiens

+4000

6-5

Sabres

+4000

Canadiens

+4000

7-0

Sabres

+4000

Canadiens

+14000

7-1

Sabres

+12000

Canadiens

+8000

7-2

Sabres

+9000

Canadiens

+6600

7-3

Sabres

+6000

Canadiens

+4500

7-4

Sabres

+6000

Canadiens

+5500

7-5

Sabres

+9000

Canadiens

+9000

7-6

Sabres

+10000

Canadiens

+9000

8-1

Sabres

+10000

Canadiens

+13000

8-2

Sabres

+10000

Canadiens

+11000

8-3

Sabres

+14000

Canadiens

+11000

8-4

Sabres

+12000

Canadiens

+9000

8-5

Sabres

+13000

Canadiens

+12000

View More

Pick odds and lines correct at publication. Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Buffalo Sabres vs Montreal Canadiens Odds

The odds and lines below are updated regularly and may differ from the prices shown in our picks, which are captured at the time of publication.

With the sportsbooks giving them a 56% probability of winning this game, Montreal Canadiens might be a popular parlay pick. That is reflected in their -125 Moneyline betting odds. The market suggests that Buffalo Sabres are least likely to win at +104.

1.5 is the puck line and 6.5 is the total goals line. Hockey fans love the chance to get an alternative angle by going for a Totals wager. If you're keen on Over 6.5, this selection is available at -120.

Whether you're placing bets before the puck drops or during the live action, the top betting sites offer hundreds of game lines and team props to explore. The sheer variety means there's no shortage of options to match your strategy.

Moneyline

Sabres

+104

Canadiens

-125

3-Way Moneyline

Sabres

+175

Tie

+325

Canadiens

+120

Puck Line

Sabres +1.5

-233

Canadiens -1.5

+186

Total Goals

Under 6.5

-102

Over 6.5

-120

There is regularly betting value to be found from wagering on the player and goalie props with the top gambling sites. You can find lots of ways to back for or against a specific player lining up for one of the two teams.

There are lots of exciting NHL micro betting lines that are created and they are available in-game. Among them are next goalscorer, next team to find the net and whether a goal will be scored within the next 10 minutes.

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Buffalo Sabres Stats

Montreal Canadiens Stats

Moneyline

• 6 wins and 4 defeats in the last 10 games
• 8 wins and 2 defeats in the last 10 games on the road

Moneyline

• 6 wins and 4 defeats in the last 10 games
• 7 wins and 3 defeats in the last 10 home games

Puck Line

• +1.5 Betting Line: Have covered the +1.5 puck line in 9 of the last 10 games
• +1.5 Betting Line on the Road: Have covered the +1.5 puck line in 9 of the last 10 games on the road

Puck Line

• -1.5 Betting Line: Have covered the -1.5 puck line in 3 of the last 10 games
• -1.5 Betting Line at Home: Have covered the -1.5 puck line in 6 of the last 10 home games

Total Goals

• Game Totals: An average of 7.10 goals in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals on the Road: An average of 5.30 goals in the previous 10 games on the road
• Over 6.5: Covered in 8 of the previous 10 games
• Over 6.5 on the Road: Covered in 2 of the previous 10 games on the road
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 3.90 goals and allowed 3.20 goals in the last 10 games
• Team Totals on the Road: Have scored an average of 3.20 pts and allowed 2.10 goals in the last 10 games on the road

Total Goals

• Game Totals: An average of 6.60 goals in the previous 10 games
• Game Totals at Home: An average of 5.90 goals in the previous 10 home games
• Over 6.5: Covered in 6 of the previous 10 games
• Over 6.5 at Home: Covered in 4 of the previous 10 home games
• Team Totals: Have scored an average of 3.50 goals and allowed 3.10 goals in the last 10 games
• Team Totals at Home: Have scored an average of 3.40 goals and allowed 2.50 goals in the last 10 home games

Team Stats - Avg/Game

Last 10 Games

• Goals Powerplay: 0.6
• Shots: 24.5
• Goals Shorthanded: 0.2
• Penalties: 3.8
• Empty Net Goals: 0.4
• Penalty Minutes: 8.9
• Blocks: 6.4
• Faceoff Wins : 18.6
• Hits: 19
• Giveaways: 17.4
• Takeaways: 4.8

Last 10 Games on the Road

• Goals Powerplay: 0.2
• Shots: 25.7
• Goals Shorthanded: 0.1
• Penalties: 2.8
• Empty Net Goals: 0.5
• Penalty Minutes: 5.8
• Blocks: 11
• Faceoff Wins : 24.5
• Hits: 17.9
• Giveaways: 16.1
• Takeaways: 5.4

Team Stats - Avg/Game

Last 10 Games

• Goals Powerplay: 0.6
• Shots: 27.7
• Goals Shorthanded: 0
• Penalties: 4.4
• Empty Net Goals: 0.1
• Penalty Minutes: 10.7
• Blocks: 11.1
• Faceoff Wins : 19.2
• Hits: 23.2
• Giveaways: 13.4
• Takeaways: 4.8

Last 10 Home Games

• Goals Powerplay: 0.5
• Shots: 28.8
• Goals Shorthanded: 0.1
• Penalties: 4.2
• Empty Net Goals: 0.3
• Penalty Minutes: 9.5
• Blocks: 12.5
• Faceoff Wins : 23.4
• Hits: 21.5
• Giveaways: 12.5
• Takeaways: 4.6

Injuries & Suspensions

Starting Lineups

Top Ice Hockey Pages