Montreal vs Vegas Prediction 28 January 2026
🔊 After being thoroughly dismantled in Ottawa, Vegas continue their Canadian tour. What lies ahead for the Golden Knights, who still top the Pacific Division, as they face Montreal? The Canadiens might not be formidable at home, but they certainly know how to beat the Golden Knights. Let's break down the upcoming NHL regular-season clash on January 28.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past five seasons, these teams have clashed 9 times, with the American club holding a significant edge-7 wins to 2. Vegas have been a tough nut for Montreal to crack since the 2021 Stanley Cup series, which, incidentally, went the Canadiens' way. However, the "Knights" have dominated for three consecutive years until Montreal broke the streak in the 2024/2025 season.
This regular season, Vegas suffered a home defeat to Montreal (1-4), with Swiss goaltender Akira Schmid conceding three goals on 18 shots. Nevertheless, Vegas have shown remarkable strength on the road against Montreal, securing four consecutive victories and averaging 5.8 goals per game.
Head-to-head statistics Montreal - Vegas
Montreal Canadiens Team Overview
Despite a losing record over the past two weeks, with only 3 wins out of 8 games, the Canadian club remains in playoff contention. Martin St. Louis' squad has accumulated 63 points in 52 games, giving them a decent shot at breaking into the top four of the Eastern Conference. Both the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins, who have played one game fewer, have the same number of points.
At home, however, Montreal are among the weakest teams in the East. In terms of average points at the Bell Centre, the Canadiens manage only 1.12 points per game, better than just the Ottawa Senators (1.08) and New York Rangers (0.64). Their current two-game losing streak began with a home defeat to the Sabres (2-4) and continued with a loss in Boston (3-4).
On the injury list for the Canadians is still Patrik Laine, whose recovery will take at least a few more weeks. The game against the Bruins saw French forward Alexandre Texier return to the ice after an injury, while Arber Xhekaj made his first appearance in a week as part of the third defensive pairing.
Match Results: Montreal Canadiens
Vegas Golden Knights Team Overview
The Knights' last game in Canada ended in a chilling defeat in the capital. In Ottawa, Vegas suffered a heavy loss to the Senators, the second-to-last team in the Eastern Conference, with a score of 1-7, marking their biggest defeat of the season. However, this setback hasn't shaken Bruce Cassidy's squad's standing-Golden Knights remain fourth in the West with 62 points from 51 games and firmly hold the top spot in the Pacific Division.
Potential slumps in away games are not new for Vegas. At the end of December, their Canadian road trip through Calgary and Edmonton resulted in zero points and 10 goals conceded. There's no need to dramatize the rout in Ottawa-throughout the season, Vegas ranks confidently in the top five for away points.
Still unavailable to Vegas' coaching staff are injured forwards Brett Howden, Brandon Saad, and Colton Sissons, whose return is expected only after the Olympic Games. However, Cole Reinhardt has returned to action after missing the opening game of their road series against the Toronto Maple Leafs (6-3).
Match Results: Vegas Golden Knights
⚡️ Key Players
The standout star of the Boston matchup is Cole Caufield. The 25-year-old American notched a hat-trick, extending his scoring streak to five consecutive games (8 goals, 2 assists). In the 2025/2026 season, the forward has amassed 53 points (29 goals, 24 assists), second only to Nick Suzuki's 59 points on the team.
Jack Eichel carries the main offensive load for Vegas, though his 11-game point streak was snapped in Ottawa. Since the start of the year, the American has tallied 20 points (7 goals, 13 assists). Another remarkable streak ended in Canada's capital: Mark Stone's 14-game run, during which the captain scored 12 goals and provided 11 assists post-Christmas break.
🥅 Goalies
In the last two games-both losses for Montreal-the coaching staff opted for Sam Montembeault. The Canadian goalie has yet to justify their trust, recording only 17 saves with an 81.0% save percentage against the Bruins and 13 saves with an 81.3% save percentage against the Sabres. His backup, Jakub Dobes, hasn't fared much better, failing to surpass a 90% save percentage at any point in 2026.
The brunt of the defeat in Ottawa fell on Adin Hill, the 29-year-old goalie conceding seven goals with a season-low save percentage of 77.4%. Hill returned from injury just ten days ago and is still searching for his form. In such times, Schmid steps up, boasting a higher save percentage than Hill (89.6% versus 85.5%).
Editorial Prediction
After the debacle in Ottawa, the visiting captain Stone delivered crucial words, urging his teammates to "recapture the emotions we felt in Toronto when the team was inspired to play." Mark promised to "forget certain things and not let what happened in Canada's capital become the norm."
The stats also favor the Golden Knights here-Vegas has scored at least three goals in 13 of their last 15 road games. Following a heavy defeat in Utah (1-5), the team learned from their mistakes and secured points in the next match, scoring three times. Montreal has conceded at least three goals in each of their last five games. So, we anticipate that Stone's rallying cry will resonate with the entire team, and Golden Knights fans will witness a completely different game from Vegas-Vegas Golden Knights' individual total over 3 goals.
No comments
Betting Tips: Montreal Canadiens - Vegas Golden Knights
in last 4 home games against Vegas Golden Knights (NHL).
in last 8 home games against Vegas Golden Knights (NHL).in 10 of last 11 games (NHL).in 9 of last 10 home games (NHL).in last 8 home games against Vegas Golden Knights (NHL).in 7 of last 8 home games against Vegas Golden Knights (NHL).
Other predictions
