Having eked out a huge overtime victory in Montreal on Sunday, the Vegas Golden Knights are once again hefty favorites to beat the Montreal Canadiens as the series shifts back to Nevada for Game 5 on Tuesday. The Golden Knights (50-18-5 SU, 34-35-4 O/U) pulled out a 2-1 OT win to even the series at two wins apiece, putting the pressure back on Montreal (34-25-12 SU, 28-38-5 O/U).
- Date/Time: June 22, 9 p.m. ET
- Arena: T-Mobile Arena
- TV Coverage: NBCSN
- Sportsbook Odds: Golden Knights -240 | O/U 5 (Line History)
- Canadiens vs Golden Knights Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Vegas came in as a hefty -240 favorite and has remained there at most sportsbooks, though you’ll find the odd -245 or -250. The Game 5 total has held steady at 5, but the OVER has dipped from -135 at Sportsbook down to the -125 to -130 range.
Montreal News & Notes
The Canadiens have done well to hold the high-flying Vegas offense to exactly two goals in three consecutive games – and they took their defensive effort to a whole other level in Game 4, limiting the Golden Knights to just 21 shots. And while the result certainly wasn’t what they wanted, they appear to have figured out how to neutralize the one area in which Vegas has a major advantage.
On the flip side, Montreal will need to figure out how to generate more offense, having produced just eight goals through the first four games of the series. Wingers Cole Caufield, Paul Byron and Josh Anderson have accounted for 75 percent of that offensive output, while Brendan Gallagher is still looking for his first point of the series and has just four points in 15 postseason games.
Vegas News & Notes
Rallying from an early series deficit is nothing new for the Golden Knights, who have trailed in all three of their best-of-sevens so far in 2021 and came back to prevail in the first two. They’ve also rallied from a pair of third-period deficits so far in the postseason – something they had done only twice in their first three franchise playoff runs combined.
Yet, despite being a -333 favorite to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in its four years of existence, Vegas is still struggling to generate offensive production from its forwards. Seven of the team’s 10 goals through the first four games of the series have come from defensemen, with Mark Stone and Jonathan Marchessault having combined for just one point to date.
Betting Pick: Vegas -240
Those Golden Knights forwards won’t stay silent for much longer – and it’s difficult to see the Canadiens keeping pace once that Vegas offense finally gets going.
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Buy Sports Picks Now- Montreal is 6-2 in the last 8 head-to-head meetings.
- Vegas is 5-1 in its past 6 home games.
- Montreal is 9-2 in its last 11 games.
