Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Friday’s matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals, the two most profitable moneyline bets so far this season.

Canadiens vs. Capitals Odds

• Montreal Canadiens Moneyline: +185
• Washington Capitals Moneyline: -225
• Puck Line: Canadiens +1.5 (-145), Capitals -1.5 (+120)
• Game Total: 6 (Over -110, Under -110)

Game odds via Sports Interaction.

Handicapping the Canadiens (19-21 SU, 23-17 ATS, 20-16-4 O/U)

Montreal is arguably the hottest team in the league heading into Friday’s game against the Washington Capitals. The Canadiens are one of three teams—the others being the Avalanche and Golden Knights—that have won eight of their last 10 games. Even more impressive, however, is that Montreal played seven of those games away from home. The Canadiens had only won three times in their first 13 road games, but they have five wins in their last seven games as the visitor to improve their road record to 8-11-1.

One of the reasons Montreal has been so successful is that it received quality goaltending from its backup for the first time all season. Jakub Dobes shut out the Panthers, stopping all 34 shots, in his NHL debut in Florida. Then he nearly blanked the Avalanche in a shootout win in Colorado. So far, he has stopped 56 of the 57 shots he’s faced to start 2-0 with a 0.48 goals against average and a .982 save percentage. Dobes will be in goal on Friday in Washington.

The Canadiens have scored four goals or more in six of their last 10 games, but unfortunately, Patrik Laine will not be making the trip to Washington. Laine, who has eight goals and 10 points in 13 games, has missed the last three due to illness. While he skated on his own Wednesday, he isn’t fully healthy yet but could be ready to return Saturday when the Canadiens host the Dallas Stars. Montreal scored just two goals in each of the first two games Laine missed, but the Canadiens managed to score five against the Canucks in their last outing, so all hope may not be lost heading into what is a tough defensive matchup. After all, only the Capitals (plus-12.1 units) have been a more profitable bet on the moneyline than the Canadiens (plus-8.34 units) this season.

Handicapping the Capitals (27-14 SU, 25-16 ATS, 19-19-3 O/U)

Washington has confirmed its starting goaltender for Friday’s game against Montreal. However, considering that head coach Spencer Carbery has alternated between Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren all season, we could have made an educated guess. Lindgren, who played 24 games with the Canadiens between 2015-16 and 2019-20, is 3-1 with a 2.80 GAA and an .888 Sv% versus the Canadiens in his career. Montreal has a two-day rest advantage over Washington heading into this matchup, but that is somewhat negated by the fact that Lindgren will be well-rested after having three days off.

Speaking of alternating, the Capitals have alternated wins and losses over their last eight games. Washington is coming off a 2-1 overtime win over the Canucks, but the Capitals haven’t won consecutive games since before the holiday break. That said, they’ve been rock solid at home this season, going 14-4-3, including wins in seven of their last nine games at Capital One Arena. Not to mention, Washington is 7-3 against Montreal in the last 10 meetings, including a 6-3 home win on Oct. 31 and a 4-2 road win on Dec. 7. However, the Canadiens won two of the three meetings versus Washington last season.

Per Evolving Hockey, the Capitals rank as the second-best offensive team and the fifth-best defensive team. While they are the league’s sixth-best team in expected goals percentage, their underlying metrics haven’t looked so hot as of late. Since returning to action following the holiday break, Washington has controlled just 47.9 percent of expected goals, which ranks 21st. Montreal, meanwhile, has owned a 53.8 percent share, which ranks ninth.

However, Alex Ovechkin, who is 23 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record, has scored in four out of seven games since returning from a broken leg on Dec. 28. Keeping him off the scoresheet won’t be easy for Montreal. Ovechkin has 19 goals in 25 games this season, including nine goals in his last 10 outings. In 59 games versus Montreal in his career, Ovechkin has scored 39 goals and 31 assists.

Best bet for Canadiens vs. Capitals

• Montreal Canadiens Moneyline (+185) at Sports Interaction

As good as the Capitals have been, it’s important to remember that they entered the season with low expectations, and that’s a big reason they have been the most profitable moneyline bet. In fact, a bettor who placed one unit on Washington to win every home game since Nov. 21 would be up just 1.09 units because the Capitals are no longer being undervalued. The Canadiens, however, have been undervalued, and at +185 odds, it’s a worthwhile risk to take from a betting perspective.

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