Ottawa vs Montreal Prediction 18 January 2026
🔊 Ottawa face off against Montreal in another NHL regular season clash. We're in for an exciting Canadian derby, and it promises to be a thrilling encounter. Predicting the outcome of this matchup is traditionally challenging, but we've prepared a prediction that we hope will assist you in making your betting choice.
Head-to-Head
📊 The showdown between the Senators and the Canadiens this season has been quite balanced: both teams have already traded victories. Overall, their head-to-head matchups are fiercely contested, with neither side holding a clear advantage, which only heightens the intrigue for the upcoming clash.
Head-to-head statistics Ottawa - Montreal
Ottawa Senators Team Overview
Heading into this matchup, the Senators find themselves at the lower end of the Eastern Conference standings. However, they approach this game in good spirits, having secured back-to-back victories. Ottawa recently overwhelmed the Rangers with an impressive 8-2 win, netting eight goals in the process.
Despite their offensive prowess, defensive lapses remain an issue for the team, often leading to conceded goals. As a result, games involving the Senators tend to be high-scoring affairs.
Match Results: Ottawa Senators
Montreal Canadiens Team Overview
The visitors come into this game as a more stable unit and sit higher in the standings. The Canadiens are assertive in attack, consistently creating dangerous opportunities and maintaining a high tempo throughout the match.
However, Montreal aren't always reliable defensively and make mistakes that opponents capitalize on. As a result, the team often finds themselves in open hockey games with plenty of scoring chances at both ends.
Match Results: Montreal Canadiens
🏒 Projected Lineups
Ottawa: Merilainen - Sanderson, Zub - Zetterlund, Stützle, Batherson.
Montreal: Fowler - Matheson, Dobson - Caufield, Suzuki, Texier.
🥅 Goalies
Ottawa's goaltending situation is less than ideal. Merilainen has been inconsistent, conceding an average of 3-4 goals per game. This directly impacts the team's results and could potentially cost them a playoff spot. However, there's still hope he might regain his previous form.
Montreal also struggles with their goalie performance: Jacob Fowler allows 3-4 goals per game. The last time he managed to concede just one goal was back on January 7th.
Editorial Prediction
Both teams favor an attacking style of hockey and aren't always solid defensively. In the context of a derby, this could lead to an open and high-scoring game. However, we believe Ottawa will come out on top in this matchup: the Senators have won four of their last six encounters. Let's bet on a home victory, but consider overtime and shootouts.
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Betting Tips: Ottawa Senators - Montreal Canadiens
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