NHL Betting Preview: Penguins vs Canadiens

The Pittsburgh Penguins meet the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre, with face-off scheduled for 19:00 on Saturday, December 20.

Penguins Against Canadiens Promises to be Tight Battle

Our prediction is for the Penguins and the Canadiens to score Under 6.5 combined. Take the -115 that the teams fail to find the net enough times to win this wager.

Expecting things to stay tight? Grab the latest BetMGM promo code and read our comprehensive review before placing your bet.

Canadiens Claimed 4-2 Win in Previous H2H

Pittsburgh Penguins have been defeated in their previous seven games. On the road, they recently suffered a 4-0 loss against Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre. Penguins came off worse for shots on goal, 24 to 26.

Montreal Canadiens won their last game which was at home. It was a 4-1 triumph at Bell Centre against Chicago Blackhawks. Zachary Bolduc scored two goals, with Noah Dobson and Nick Suzuki also scoring. Goalie Jakub Dobes made a total of 14 saves (.933).

Head-to-Head Statistics

The Habs beat the Penguins in their last head-to-head encounter. It was a 4-2 scoreline at PPG PAINTS Arena. The previous 10 H2H meetings have involved the Penguins winning six times.

Starting Goalies

Stuart Skinner (Confirmed)

Season	W-L-OTL:	GAA:	SV%:	SO:
24/25	19-12-5	2.8	.890	2
23/24	36-16-5	2.62	.905	2

Jacob Fowler (Confirmed)

Season	W-L-OTL:	GAA:	SV%:	SO:
24/25	4-4-2	2.6	.902	1

Pittsburgh Penguins – Last 10 Games

2 wins, 4 losses and 4 overtime losses, averaging 3.1 goals from 32.1 shots on goal, with a 27.9% powerplay efficiency. The Penguins have given up 4.1 goals from 28.8 shots, averaging 4.3 penalties with a penalty-killing efficiency of 76.7%.

Bryan Rust is the top points scorer with 11 points, 5 goals and 6 assists, with Sidney Crosby racking up 10 points, 4 goals and 6 assists, over the last 10 games. Goalie Tristan Jarry have a 2.83 goal against average with a .903 save percentage.

Montreal Canadiens – Last 10 Games

The Habs have 5 wins, 4 losses and 1 overtime loss, averaging 2.6 goals from 27.0 shots on goal, with a 22.9% powerplay efficiency. They have been conceding 3.1 goals from 26.0 shots, averaging 3.8 penalties per game with a penalty-killing efficiency of 84.2%.

The top points scorer is Nick Suzuki with 11 points, 3 goals and 8 assists, while Lane Hutson is next best after registering 11 points, 1 goal and 10 assists. Goalie Jakub Dobes have a 2.21 GAA with a .908 SV%.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Montreal Canadiens Prediction & Picks

The Pittsburgh Penguins vs Montreal Canadiens betting tips feature sharp analysis across major markets, including a key match prediction, player prop bets, correct score guidance and a ready-made bet builder.

Game Prediction

We’re going under the line in this NHL clash. Our pick is available at -115 and we’re expecting the teams to find the net six times or less.

Our hockey picks are rooted in solid team news and up-to-date form for each franchise. We also dig deep to uncover the most relevant NHL stats that help guide and strengthen our predictions.

Key Penguins vs Canadiens stats:

The 6.5 line hasn’t been covered in 12 of the last 20 Penguins games on the road.
The 6.5 line hasn’t been covered in 6 of the last 10 Penguins games on the road.
The 6.5 line hasn’t been covered in the last 2 Penguins games on the road.
The 6.5 line hasn’t been covered in 4 of the last 5 Canadiens games.
The 6.5 line hasn’t been covered in 6 of the last 10 Canadiens games.
The 6.5 line hasn’t been covered in the last 3 Canadiens games.

Under 6.5 Probability

When you look at the latest odds, our pick has a 53.5% chance of landing a return. Based on our in-depth research, we calculate the actual probability to be closer to 60%. That means we’re regarding it as a value wager.

Looking for Bigger Odds?

Bettors in search of a larger potential return on their Total wager can look to go under a different number of goals. This is achieved by moving the line until you’re happy with the odds.

Your next bet could start with a welcome bonus. Explore our expert guide to the newest sign-up and betting offers.

Our Game Prediction

Under 6.5 Goals @ -115 Bet Now

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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 (23:56, 19 December 2025). Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Published 23:56, 19 December 2025

Player Prop Picks

Top Pick: Zack Bolduc Over 1.5 Shots -154

Zack Bolduc (Canadiens) has recorded Over 1.5 shots on goal in 5 straight games. The stats suggest that he can oblige with our Overs wager and we’re more than happy to take the -154 available.

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.

Same Game Parlay Picks

Totals Under 6.5

To Score Bryan Rust

Shots on Goal Zack Bolduc Over 1.5

Our same game parlay pick is Under 6.5 goals, Bryan Rust (Penguins) to score and Zack Bolduc (Canadiens) to have Over 1.5 shots.

A same game parlay allows hockey bettors to place a multiple wager on the same game. You can go through the available betting lines and props and cherry-pick the outcomes that you think will happen. The odds for each selection are then combined together.

Bet Boosts

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

Penguins

1 - 5 Canadiens logo

Canadiens

We’ve picked out a correct score of 5-1 being landed by the Canadiens. You can secure odds of +2400 and this provides an alternative way to place a wager.

Latest Correct Score Odds

Score

1-0

2-0

2-1

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.

Pittsburgh Penguins 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.

Canadiens Betting Favorites on the Moneyline

Montreal Canadiens are regarded as having a 57% chance of winning this game according to the latest betting odds. The sportsbooks have priced them up at -133. If you’re looking for an alternative angle, Pittsburgh Penguins are trading at +112.

1.5 is where the puck line lies, with total goals being 6.5 right now. There are many ways to wager on hockey including Totals. If you want to back Over 6.5, it’s -110.

If you're looking to place a National Hockey League wager, head to the top betting apps and explore the wide range of team props and game lines. Take your time to find the lines and odds that offer the best value.

Moneyline

3-Way Moneyline

Puck Line

Total Goals

Player Props & Micro Betting

If you have a view on Player Goals, Powerplay Points, Assists, Shots or Goaltender Saves, then the player and goalie prop betting could be up your street. It’s a great way of wagering on individual performance.

Instead of focusing on the overall outcome, some bettors prefer to look at the NHL micro betting lines. As the name suggests, it means placing short-term wagers and this might include the Next Goalscorer or Next Goal.

Live market odds and lines updated regularly. All odds subject to change. T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Best Betting Offers

Last 5 & H2H

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Last 5 Games

Penguins

NHL: 19/12 Penguins0 Senators 4
NHL: 17/12 Oilers6 Penguins 4
NHL: 14/12 Mammoth5 Penguins 4
NHL: 13/12 Sharks6 Penguins 5
NHL: 12/12 Canadiens4 Penguins 2

Canadiens

NHL: 19/12 Blackhawks1 Canadiens 4
NHL: 17/12 Flyers4 Canadiens 1
NHL: 15/12 Oilers1 Canadiens 4
NHL: 14/12 Canadiens4 Rangers 5
NHL: 12/12 Canadiens4 Penguins 2

Head to Head

Pittsburgh vs Montreal

NHL: 12/12 2025 Canadiens 4 Penguins 2
NHL: 13/12 2024 Penguins 9 Canadiens 2
NHL: 03/11 2024 Canadiens 1 Penguins 3
NHL: 15/10 2024 Penguins 6 Canadiens 3
NHL: 23/02 2024 Canadiens 1 Penguins 4
NHL: 28/01 2024 Canadiens 2 Penguins 3
NHL: 14/12 2023 Penguins 4 Canadiens 3
NHL: 15/03 2023 Canadiens 6 Penguins 4
NHL: 13/11 2022 Penguins 4 Canadiens 5
NHL: 18/10 2022 Penguins 2 Canadiens 3

Team Stats

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Pittsburgh Penguins Stats

Montreal Canadiens Stats

Moneyline

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

Moneyline

5 wins and 5 defeats in the last 10 games
4 wins and 6 defeats in the last 10 home games

Puck Line

+1.5 Betting Line: Have covered the +1.5 puck line in 6 of the last 10 games
+1.5 Betting Line on the Road: Have covered the +1.5 puck line in 8 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 3 of the last 10 home games

Total Goals

Game Totals: An average of 7.40 goals in the previous 10 games
Game Totals on the Road: An average of 5.40 goals in the previous 10 games on the road
Over 6.5: Covered in 6 of the previous 10 games
Over 6.5 on the Road: Covered in 4 of the previous 10 games on the road
Team Totals: Have scored an average of 3.10 goals and allowed 4.30 goals in the last 10 games
Team Totals on the Road: Have scored an average of 2.60 pts and allowed 2.80 goals in the last 10 games on the road

Total Goals

Game Totals: An average of 5.90 goals in the previous 10 games
Game Totals at Home: An average of 6.50 goals in the previous 10 home games
Over 6.5: Covered in 4 of the previous 10 games
Over 6.5 at Home: Covered in 5 of the previous 10 home games
Team Totals: Have scored an average of 2.80 goals and allowed 3.10 goals in the last 10 games
Team Totals at Home: Have scored an average of 2.90 goals and allowed 3.60 goals in the last 10 home games

Team Stats - Avg/Game

Last 10 Games

Goals Powerplay: 1.2
Shots: 32.1
Goals Shorthanded: 0
Penalties: 4.3
Empty Net Goals: 0
Penalty Minutes: 8.9
Blocks: 15.7
Faceoff Wins : 27.8
Hits: 19.7
Giveaways: 14.7
Takeaways: 5.2

Last 10 Games on the Road

Goals Powerplay: 0.8
Shots: 28.8
Goals Shorthanded: 0
Penalties: 3.3
Empty Net Goals: 0.1
Penalty Minutes: 7.2
Blocks: 13.9
Faceoff Wins : 26.5
Hits: 18.3
Giveaways: 14.5
Takeaways: 5.1

Team Stats - Avg/Game

Last 10 Games

Goals Powerplay: 0.8
Shots: 27
Goals Shorthanded: 0
Penalties: 3.8
Empty Net Goals: 0.1
Penalty Minutes: 8.2
Blocks: 14.4
Faceoff Wins : 26.3
Hits: 21.6
Giveaways: 13.1
Takeaways: 3.4

Last 10 Home Games

Goals Powerplay: 0.7
Shots: 27.5
Goals Shorthanded: 0.2
Penalties: 5
Empty Net Goals: 0.2
Penalty Minutes: 13.1
Blocks: 14.2
Faceoff Wins : 26.6
Hits: 23.4
Giveaways: 13.7
Takeaways: 4

Team News

Pittsburgh Penguins Player Stats & Roster

#	Player	GP	MIN	G	A	P	+/-
87	Sidney Crosby	33	19.68	19	16	35	-6
71	Evgeni Malkin	26	17.49	8	21	29	5
17	Bryan Rust	31	20.39	12	16	28	-5

65	Erik Karlsson	33	24.08	3	22	25	-1
39	Anthony Mantha	33	15.4	10	12	22	10
18	Thomas Novak	33	13.37	6	11	17	-2
58	Kris Letang	33	21.57	2	14	16	1
81	Benjamin Kindel	30	15.95	8	6	14	-9
16	Justin Brazeau	19	13.33	8	6	14	2
5	Ryan Shea	33	19.75	2	11	13	10
19	Connor Dewar	33	13.51	6	5	11	-4
67	Rickard Rakell	13	18.78	3	7	10	0
28	Parker Wotherspoon	33	20.83	2	8	10	2
55	Noel Acciari	20	12.92	1	5	6	1
13	Kevin Hayes	18	13.27	3	2	5	-2
46	Blake Lizotte	27	13.95	3	2	5	1
11	Filip Haallander	13	13.15	1	3	4	4
41	Ville Koivunen	21	12.73	1	2	3	-5
24	Matt Dumba	11	14.94	1	2	3	-5
2	Rutger McGroarty	9	12.5	1	1	2	-2
77	Brett Kulak	33	17.67	0	2	2	-8
43	Danton Heinen	13	11.67	1	1	2	1
82	Caleb Jones	7	17.17	0	1	1	1
45	Harrison Brunicke	9	15.71	1	0	1	-4
53	Philip Tomasino	9	12.18	0	1	1	-2
15	Joona Koppanen	10	12.47	0	1	1	-1
27	Ryan Graves	17	15.32	1	0	1	-4
75	Connor Clifton	14	16.03	0	0	0	-3
38	Owen Pickering	4	12.1	0	0	0	-3
14	Bokondji Imama	2	7.65	0	0	0	0
22	Samuel Poulin	2	13.8	0	0	0	-2
3	Jack St. Ivany	2	16.35	0	0	0	0
26	Tristan Broz	1	11.5	0	0	0	-1

#	Goalies	GP	GAA	SV%
37	Arturs Silovs	15	3.19	0.89
1	Sergei Murashov	5	2.56	0.897

Montreal Canadiens Player Stats & Roster

#	Player	GP	MIN	G	A	P	+/-
14	Nick Suzuki	34	20.65	10	29	39	12
13	Cole Caufield	34	18.38	17	17	34	7
48	Lane Hutson	34	23.34	5	26	31	2

93	Ivan Demidov	34	14.91	7	19	26	-3
20	Juraj Slafkovsky	34	17.76	9	11	20	0
53	Noah Dobson	34	22.53	5	14	19	0
8	Mike Matheson	32	24.9	4	12	16	7
76	Zachary Bolduc	34	13.97	9	7	16	-4
91	Oliver Kapanen	34	14.15	10	6	16	-3
15	Alex Newhook	17	14.6	6	6	12	7
11	Brendan Gallagher	34	12.84	2	9	11	-2
71	Jake Evans	33	15.58	5	5	10	-13
17	Josh Anderson	34	14.75	6	4	10	-8
45	Alexandre Carrier	34	19.23	1	8	9	-10
77	Kirby Dach	15	14.03	5	2	7	-2
85	Alexandre Texier	20	12.63	3	4	7	-2
47	Jayden Struble	28	15.14	0	5	5	-8
90	Joe Veleno	29	12.12	2	1	3	-8
21	Kaiden Guhle	5	19.24	1	1	2	1
72	Arber Xhekaj	30	12.17	1	1	2	-6
49	Jared Davidson	10	8.72	0	1	1	-4
92	Patrik Laine	5	12.76	0	1	1	-3
63	Florian Xhekaj	5	9.6	0	1	1	-1
62	Owen Beck	7	8.87	0	0	0	2
42	Adam Engstroem	7	13.07	0	0	0	0
89	Joshua Roy	3	9.8	0	0	0	0

#	Goalies	GP	GAA	SV%
35	Sam Montembeault	16	3.67	0.857
75	Jakub Dobes	19	2.91	0.893
32	Jacob Fowler	3	3.32	0.885
34	Kaapo Kaehkoenen	-	-	-

Injuries & Suspensions

Pittsburgh Penguins Injury Table

Type

Name

Info

Filip Haallander

Injured

Evgeni Malkin

Injured

Caleb Jones

Injured

Blake Lizotte

Injured

Montreal Canadiens Injury Table

Type

Name

Info

Alex Newhook

Injured

Phillip Danault

Injured

Patrik Laine

Injured

Kaiden Guhle

Injured

Kirby Dach

Injured

Starting Lineups

Both teams’ confirmed lineups will be published ahead of face-off. There is also the chance to look at the lineups from the previous 10 games.

Previous Pittsburgh Penguins Lineups

18 Dec NHL

Penguins 0-4 Senators

Metropolitan	GP	W	L	OT	PTS	P%	RW	ROW	GF	GA	DIFF	Home	Road	S/O	L10	Strk
1 Carolina	57	36	15	6	78	0.684	26	32	197	163	34	21-8-2	15-7-4	4-3	8-2	3W
2 Pittsburgh	56	29	15	12	70	0.625	25	28	192	169	23	13-8-7	16-7-5	1-7	7-3	1W
3 NY Islanders	58	32	21	5	69	0.595	22	28	169	162	7	16-10-2	16-11-3	4-5	6-4	2W
4 Columbus	56	29	20	7	65	0.58	20	24	179	177	2	15-8-4	14-12-3	5-1	9-1	7W
5 Washington	59	29	23	7	65	0.551	24	28	189	177	12	17-10-3	12-13-4	1-5	5-5	1W
6 Philadelphia	56	25	20	11	61	0.545	18	20	167	180	-13	13-9-7	12-11-4	5-3	3-7	1L
7 New Jersey	57	28	27	2	58	0.509	18	25	146	175	-29	13-12-2	15-15-0	3-0	4-6	3L
8 NY Rangers	57	22	29	6	50	0.439	14	20	151	180	-29	6-15-4	16-14-2	2-0	2-8	4L

East Atlantic	GP	W	L	OT	PTS	P%	RW	ROW	GF	GA	DIFF	Home	Road	S/O	L10	Strk
1 Tampa Bay	55	37	14	4	78	0.709	28	33	199	140	59	18-9-0	19-5-4	4-2	8-2	5W
2 Montreal	57	32	17	8	72	0.632	21	30	199	187	12	16-11-1	16-6-7	2-4	6-4	1W
3 Detroit	58	33	19	6	72	0.621	23	31	174	175	-1	18-10-2	15-9-4	2-3	5-5	1L
4 Buffalo	57	32	19	6	70	0.614	26	29	195	176	19	17-8-3	15-11-3	3-0	6-4	2L
5 Boston	57	32	20	5	69	0.605	24	30	195	182	13	21-8-1	11-12-4	2-3	6-4	2L
6 Ottawa	57	28	22	7	63	0.553	22	25	191	184	7	14-10-4	14-12-3	3-0	6-4	1W
7 Toronto	57	27	21	9	63	0.553	19	26	188	194	-6	16-9-6	11-12-3	1-1	4-6	3W
8 Florida	57	29	25	3	61	0.535	23	25	174	191	-17	15-13-3	14-12-0	4-1	4-6	1L

East Central	GP	W	L	OT	PTS	P%	RW	ROW	GF	GA	DIFF	Home	Road	S/O	L10	Strk
1 Colorado	55	37	9	9	83	0.755	34	36	212	138	74	21-3-4	16-6-5	1-5	4-6	1W
2 Minnesota	58	34	14	10	78	0.672	21	30	196	169	27	17-6-7	17-8-3	4-3	8-2	5W
3 Dallas	57	34	14	9	77	0.675	28	30	193	160	33	16-7-3	18-7-6	4-3	7-3	6W
4 Utah	57	30	23	4	64	0.561	23	30	183	157	26	17-8-2	13-15-2	0-0	7-3	2W
5 Nashville	57	26	24	7	59	0.518	19	23	169	198	-29	15-12-3	11-12-4	3-0	3-7	2L
6 Chicago	57	22	26	9	53	0.465	17	19	154	185	-31	12-14-5	10-12-4	3-5	3-7	1L
7 Winnipeg	56	22	26	8	52	0.464	20	21	160	175	-15	12-11-5	10-15-3	1-2	3-7	2L
8 St Louis	57	20	28	9	49	0.43	19	19	147	203	-56	13-11-6	7-17-3	1-3	2-8	3L

West Pacific	GP	W	L	OT	PTS	P%	RW	ROW	GF	GA	DIFF	Home	Road	S/O	L10	Strk
1 Vegas	56	26	16	14	66	0.589	19	25	187	178	9	13-8-7	13-8-7	1-6	3-7	1W
2 Edmonton	58	28	22	8	64	0.552	21	28	198	194	4	15-10-4	13-12-4	0-3	5-5	3L
3 Seattle	56	27	20	9	63	0.563	21	26	162	165	-3	14-9-5	13-11-4	1-4	6-4	1W
4 Anaheim	56	30	23	3	63	0.563	18	24	185	195	-10	17-8-1	13-15-2	6-0	8-2	2W
5 LA Kings	55	23	18	14	60	0.545	14	19	145	157	-12	8-11-7	15-7-7	4-6	4-6	2L
6 San Jose	55	27	24	4	58	0.527	16	25	171	193	-22	14-9-3	13-15-1	2-1	4-6	4L
7 Calgary	56	23	27	6	52	0.464	19	21	142	169	-27	15-10-4	8-17-2	2-2	4-6	1W
8 Vancouver	57	18	33	6	42	0.368	12	14	149	210	-61	6-17-4	12-16-2	4-2	2-8	3L

Pittsburgh Penguins

Montreal Canadiens

NHL Betting Preview: Penguins vs Canadiens

Head-to-Head Statistics

Starting Goalies

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Montreal Canadiens Prediction & Picks

Game Prediction

Under 6.5 Probability

Player Prop Picks

Same Game Parlay Picks

Correct Score Prediction

Latest Correct Score Odds

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Montreal Canadiens Odds

Head to Head

Injuries & Suspensions

Pittsburgh Penguins Injury Table

Montreal Canadiens Injury Table

Starting Lineups

Previous Pittsburgh Penguins Lineups

Previous Montreal Canadiens Lineups

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