| Range | W | L | P | +/- (Units) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yesterday | 2 | 1 | 0.00 | +2.40 |
| Last 30 Days | 23 | 42 | 0.00 | -26.02 |
| Season to Date | 79 | 105 | 0.00 | -6.36 |
Montreal +119 over BOSTON
WINTER CLASSIC - Gillete Stadium - Foxboro
1:00 PM EST. Boston had a great 17-game run recently that saw them win 12 of those games but they came back down to earth with three losses in a row before whacking the Senators (7-3) on Tuesday. Boston scored four PP goals on Tuesday in seven attempts but only outshot the Sens, 37-32. The NHL season is a series of peaks and valleys. The key is to catch these teams when they’re about to peak and start selling before they hit their valley.Boston was on fire and while they will be jacked up for this game, we may see a cooling off period from them very soon.
What we’re certain of is that the Bruins’ stock is a lot higher than the Canadiens’ stock is right now. This is truly one of sports’ best rivalries but in terms of each team’s chance of winning, give the Habs every bit as good a chance to win here as Boston and maybe more so. The Bruins are without Brad Marchand and David Krejci, two key ingredients that contribute significantly to Boston’s success.
The Canadiens started out 9-0. At one point they were 19-5 and led the NHL in points. A lot of that had to be attributed to Carey Price, as he’s the best goaltender on the planet and goaltending plays a huge role in the outcome of games. When Carey Price went down for the first time this season on October 29, Montreal went 6-3. Price went down for the second time on November 25 and since then, Montreal has won five times in 17 games. Furthermore, the Habs scored two goals or less in 14 of those 17 games. The bottom line is that Montreal wasn’t as good as that 19-5 start with Price and they're not that as bad as their current 5-12 run without him. Montreal’s streaks this year have been extreme and the result has been an overreaction to its great record in the first part of the year and now another overreaction to its serious funk. We’ll now get Montreal at an inflated price because of it. The Canadiens are still a really good hockey team whose point producers went into a funk about the same time that Price was injured the second time. Montreal still ranks third in the NHL (and first in the East) in shots on goal behind St. Louis and Dallas and 5th overall in Corsi for. We also like that the Canadiens get Brendan Gallagher back, a true talent that they have missed. The host has far more distractions for the Classic than the visitor does, which is just another reason to back Montreal.
Couple of side notes: First, I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year. I come in and read these posts daily and appreciate all he knowledge from so many of you.
Feddz: Your take on the Caps was a good read and the responses were pretty interesting too. At the very least, you always provide good food for thought.
Bushay: I checked New Year's Eve games for the past six seasons and there was no distinct advantage to the home side. It was very normal with some years the dog having an edge and vice versa. I always check stuff like that.
VV, Feddz. Bushay and Guil, you guys are so knowledgeable and your love of the game shines through every year.
This is the best hockey forum on the net, bar none.
Here's to a great second half. Best of luck.
