NY Rangers (2-3-1) at Montreal (4-1-0)
- When: Oct 18 2025, 7:00 PM
- Where: Bell Centre, Montreal, QC, CAN
- TV: MSG
NY Rangers vs Montreal NHL Preview & Pick
Moneyline: Montreal -115
Spread: Montreal -1.5 (+215)
Total: 6.0
Montreal Canadiens Betting Outlook
The Canadiens are starting to look like a team that’s outgrown the “rebuilding” label. After a scrappy playoff push last spring, Montreal has come out swinging, riding a four-game win streak and showing the kind of late-game poise that gets bettors’ attention.
Their recent run of tight one-goal victories has showcased their resilience. Montreal has already notched comeback wins against Seattle and Nashville, both decided in overtime, proving they can close out tense games. Cole Caufield has been on a heater, finding the net in three straight games and looking every bit like a future 40-goal scorer.
What makes this team intriguing from a betting standpoint isn’t just their speed and energy, it’s their late-game heroics. The Canadiens have scored three goals in the final three minutes of regulation across their past three contests. That clutch factor matters when you’re betting Moneyline or live in-play.
Still, coach Martin St. Louis will be the first to say the Habs can’t live on adrenaline alone. Montreal hasn’t yet seen top forwards like Nick Suzuki or Brendan Gallagher break through, meaning there’s untapped scoring potential in the lineup. If those players start heating up, the Canadiens could be a sneaky value play for bettors in the coming weeks.
New York Rangers Betting Outlook
The Rangers, on the other hand, have been ice-cold where it counts: on the scoreboard. After opening their season with two blowout wins, they’ve hit a wall offensively, managing just one goal across their last three games despite piling up nearly 100 shots on net.
That’s the kind of stat that makes bettors sweat, great shot metrics but no finish. Juuso Parssinen scored the team’s lone goal during a 2-1 overtime loss to Toronto, while top guns like Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad continue to misfire. It’s not for lack of effort, they’ve controlled possession, generated quality looks, and tested opposing goalies. But until those shots turn into goals, this slump could linger.
On defense, Igor Shesterkin remains elite between the pipes, but even he can’t win games when the offense gives him one goal of support. Expect the Rangers to tweak line combinations again to spark something, anything in the offensive zone.
NHL Prediction & Betting Angle
Montreal’s confidence and clutch scoring edge make them the more trustworthy bet right now. New York’s offense feels due for a breakout, but against a red-hot home team with momentum, that’s a tough sell.
Score Prediction: Canadiens 3, Rangers 2
Pick: Montreal (-115)
Total: Under 6.0 (-122)
- NHL Odds source: Bovada Sportsbook
