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Montreal (35-18-10) at Ottawa (32-22-9)
- When: Mar 11 2026, 7:30 PM
- Where: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON, CAN
- TV: ESPN+
Montreal vs Ottawa NHL Preview & Pick
Moneyline: Ottawa -170
Spread: Ottawa -1.5 (+142)
Total: 6.5
Montreal Canadiens Betting Breakdown
Montreal arrives in Ottawa riding a strong run of form and climbing the Atlantic Division standings. The Canadiens sit in third place after a solid 3 to 1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, a victory that highlighted the team’s improving defensive structure and balanced scoring.
Jake Evans has been a major contributor lately. After going four straight games without a point, Evans has caught fire with six points across his last five contests, producing three goals and three assists during that span. He capped the win over Toronto with an empty net goal to extend his scoring streak.
Montreal jumped out quickly in that matchup, building a 2 to 0 lead in the opening period. Rookie Oliver Kapanen and Phillip Danault both found the net, while Jakub Dobes delivered a steady performance in goal with 17 saves.
The Canadiens have now posted a 7-1-3 record over their last 11 games. Their ability to control pace and limit quality chances has been a key factor in their surge. If that structure holds up again, Montreal could create real value for bettors as a road underdog.
Goaltender Sam Montembeault has had mixed results historically against Ottawa, carrying a 5-5-0 record with a 3.52 goals against average and an .874 save percentage in his career against the Senators.
Ottawa Senators Betting Breakdown
Ottawa enters this matchup playing confident hockey as well. The Senators are unbeaten in their last seven games with a 5-0-2 record and recently shut out the Vancouver Canucks 2 to 0 on the road.
Veteran goalie James Reimer delivered a flawless outing in that game, stopping all 16 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season and the 32nd of his NHL career. Ridly Greig and Brady Tkachuk supplied the offense in the win.
Tim Stutzle has been the engine driving Ottawa’s attack. He extended his scoring streak to 13 games with an assist against Vancouver and now has eight goals and nine assists during that run.
However, the Senators will have to adjust defensively after losing key blueliner Jake Sanderson to an upper body injury. Sanderson is expected to miss multiple games, leaving a noticeable gap on Ottawa’s back end.
Ottawa has had success in this season series with Montreal, winning two of the three meetings. Brady Tkachuk and Fabian Zetterlund led the way in a 5 to 2 win in December, while Alex Newhook scored the overtime winner in a 4 to 3 result earlier in the year.
Linus Ullmark has also faced Montreal often in his career, posting a 5-4-1 record with a 3.27 goals against average and an .874 save percentage.
Prediction
Ottawa enters as a -170 moneyline favorite with the total set at 6.5 goals. The Senators are playing well, but Montreal’s recent momentum and improved team defense create value on the underdog side.
The Canadiens have been one of the hottest teams in the division over the past two weeks and should be able to capitalize on Ottawa’s defensive adjustments without Sanderson.
Score Prediction: Canadiens 4, Senators 3
Pick: Montreal ML (+145)
Total: Over 6.5 (-112)
- NHL Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
