Carolina Hurricanes vs Montreal Canadiens Prediction 2/25/25 NHL Picks

In this article, we will formulate a Carolina Hurricanes vs Montreal Canadiens  Prediction for this NHL game on Tuesday, February 25th at the Crypto.com Arena. To formulate this prediction, we will look at: 

-The Hurricanes’ recent form and recent player performance 

-The Canadiens’ recent form and recent player performance

-Recent Betting trends and streaks involving Carolina

-Recent Betting trends and streaks involving Montreal

-Recent betting trends in games played between Carolina and Montreal

-A summary that ties it all together produces a favorable betting outcome for Today’s Game between the Hurricanes and Canadiens. 

The Hurricanes have won the last nine games against the Montreal Canadiens. This is the first meeting this year between the two teams. 

Can the Canadiens Win a Second Straight Game?

The Canadiens were struggling heading into the last game with three straight losses against the Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils, and LA Kings, but they bounced back quickly. On Saturday, Montreal returned with a 5-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators. The Canadiens scored three goals in the first period and another two in the second on the way to victory. Sam Montembault was in goal and played well, saving 25 of the 27 shots he faced. Brendan Gallagher paced the offense, scoring a goal and adding an assist. 

The Canadiens offense overall has been average, but the defense has been an issue. Montreal is giving up 3.4 goals, which is 29th in the NHL. One of Montreal’s real strengths has been its shooting, currently sitting at 11.19 percent, the 6th best in the league. Kirby Dach is dealing with a lower-body injury and is questionable for this game. Sam Montembeault is expected to get the start in goal, and he sits with a 19-21-3 record, and he’s giving up 2.97 goals per game. Even though he’s had some struggles, he does have three shutouts. 

Can the Hurricanes Bounce Back?

The Hurricanes are suddenly struggling and have lost four of the last five games. The only win was a 7-3 victory over the Utah Hockey Club two games ago. In the last game, they went back to the losing, getting knocked off by the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3. At the end of the first period, they were down 4-0, and although they scored three goals in the third period, it was too little too late. Pytor Kochetkov was in goal and he left a lot to be desired, saving 17 of the 21 shots he faced. The Hurricanes are going to need a lot better goaltending in this game. 

As the favorite this season, they have gone 30-18 straight up. The Hurricanes are averaging 3.28 goals, while their defense is giving up 2.77 goals per game. They have done a good job of peppering shots on goal and limiting the shots their opponents get on them. William Carrier is dealing with a long-term injury, and he’s still out. Pyotr Kochetkov is expected to get the start in goal, and he sits with a 20-11-3 record and is giving up 2.55 goals per game. Even though he has found success overall, the Hurricanes have lost two of his last three starts. 

Why the Hurricanes Will Beat the Canadiens

• The Hurricanes have won each of their last 16 games as favorites against the Canadiens.
• The Canadiens have lost each of their last five home games.
• The Hurricanes have covered the puck line in nine of their last 10 games as favorites against the Canadiens.
• The Canadiens have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last four games at Bell Centre.
• The Canadiens have lost the first period in each of their last five games as home underdogs against Eastern Conference opponents.

Carolina Hurricanes vs Montreal Canadiens Prediction

I do think the Hurricanes will win this game, but they are way too big of favorites to offer any value, especially with Kochetkov in goal, as he’s been a bit inconsistent as of late. The Canadiens offense is still averaging 2.91 goals, and against a struggling goaltender, they can go over their season average. The Hurricanes’ offense has been the strength all season, and they will have no issue running up the score here. The over is 4-1 in the Canadiens’ last five games overall. That trend is going to continue here. Back the over to cash.