The NY Rangers host the Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday Mar 16, as both teams fight for the final few spots in the Eastern Conference. This is the fourth and final meeting between the teams with Montreal leading 2 of 3. NHL oddsmakers at SBGGLOBAL.com have the Rangers as -140 moneyline favs over the Canadiens (+120) with the over/under set at 5.5 goals . Be sure to get your Montreal Canadiens vs New York Rangers NHL Picks in early at SBGGLOBAL.com
The Canadiens (35-29-4-2) have won seven of their last ten and three of their last five on the road. They are 17-16-2-0 on the road where they average 2.43 GAG and allow 2.80 GAG. They recently beat Boston 3-2 at home. They had goals from Andrei Markov, Sergei Kostitsyn and Sergei Kostitsyn. Goalie Jaroslav Halak stopped 21 of 23 shots and is 8-2 in his last ten games with a 3.00 GAA. Overall he’s 22-10-2 with a 2.52 GAA and a .922 SVPCT. The Canadiens sit in a tie for sixth place with 76 points. Since the Habs lost lead scorer Mike Cammalleri, they've gone 10-4-0 to move into playoff contention . And even without Cammalleri, the Canadiens are scoring 3.3 goals per game, up nearly 0.8 on their season average before he was hurt. Markov has been on fire since the restart of the season. He has 2 goals and 7 assists in the Canadiens' eight games since the end of the Olympics. Goalie Jaroslav Halak is 1-3-0 with a 4.11 GAA in four starts at Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers (31-29-6-3) have lost five of their last ten games and three of five at home. They are 15-15-4-2 at home where they average 2.94 GAG and allow 2.78 GAG. They recently beat Philadelphia 3-1. They got goals from Sean Avery (2) and Michal Rozsival. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist stopped 17 of 18 shots and is 6-4 in his last ten with a 2.40 GAA. Overall he’s 28-23-8 with a 2.45 GAA and a .919 SVPCT. The Rangers are in ninth place with 71 points, one back of the Boston Bruins for the eighth and final spot in the East. To make the playoffs, they will have to find a way to step up and keep it together. "These are desperate times for us," Captain Chris Drury said. "Obviously every game is a big game and now we have to regroup and get ready for a real good Montreal team that is one of the hottest teams in the League." Drury has 4 points in his last 2 games, all assists. Goalie Henrik Lundqvist is 6-1-0 with a 1.86 GAA and a shutout in his last seven home starts versus Montreal.
Recent Trends to Consider:
- Home team is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
- Over is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings.
- Under is 10-4-1 in the last 15 meetings in New York.
- Canadiens are 1-6 in the last 7 meetings in New York.
- Rangers are 4-1 in their last 5 games as a home favorite of -110 to -150.
- Canadiens are 5-0 in their last 5 overall.
- Canadiens are 5-0 in their last 5 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Canadiens are 4-1 in their last 5 games as an underdog.
Montreal Canadiens vs New York Rangers
When: Tuesday Mar 16, 2009 7:30 PM ET
Line: SBGGLOBAL.com
Pick: Canadiens +120
Point-Spreads.com Montreal Canadiens vs New York Rangers NHL Picks
The Bottom Line: The Habs are hotter and playing better without Mike Cammalleri. Be sure to get your Montreal Canadiens vs New York Rangers NHL Picks in early at SBGGLOBAL.com and receive up to 295% in Cash Bonuses and start winning today!
