NHL Picks: Montreal Canadiens at Anaheim Ducks
Recently, the Montreal Canadiens have stopped being laughably terrible. They have started to win games again and are no longer on a skid from the upper echelon of the league to the deepest depths of despair. Without Carey Price, the Habs simply haven’t been competitive until recently. With him, they would likely be one of the top seeds in the Eastern Conference.
The Anaheim Ducks stumbled mightily in the beginning of the season. They, unlike the Montreal Canadiens, had no real reason for their terrible start. Anaheim was a team that I predicted would be among the best in hockey, and the way they played in the beginning of the year had even a playoff position in jeopardy for a long time. Now, they finally look like the best team in the NHL again.
Momentum is an important factor in my system. Aside from Montreal’s poor play since Carey Price was injured and Anaheim’s surge up the standings, this game still fits the system for a number of reasons. The Habs are a long way from home and playing a top team in hockey. The Ducks have been lying in wait on a lengthy homestand, ready to take advantage of a travel-weary and inferior team.
Z-Code agrees, giving a 69% chance to win to the home team, the Anaheim Ducks. Despite it being somewhat sharp, there are also 3.5 stars of value here according to the algorithm. The parameters align for a system play, with the score predictor calling for a 3-1 victory. I’ll go with a slightly different score.
Ducks 4 – Habs 2
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