<p>Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Tuesday’s matchup between the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/utah-hockey-club/line-combinations">Utah Hockey Club</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/montreal-canadiens/line-combinations">Montreal Canadiens</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Utah Hockey Club vs. Montreal Canadiens Odds</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Utah Hockey Club Moneyline: -130</li>



<li>Montreal Canadiens Moneyline: +110</li>



<li>Puck Line: Utah -1.5 (+170), Montreal +1.5 (-210)</li>



<li>Game Total: 6 (Over -115, Under -105)</li>
</ul>



<p><em>Game odds via Sports Interaction.</em></p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Handicapping the Utah Hockey Club (8-13 SU, 12-9 ATS, 8-11-2 O/U)</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/utah-hockey-club-sets-single-day-regular-season-jersey-sales-record">Utah</a> wraps up its Eastern Conference road trip Tuesday in Montreal, its third game in four days after back-to-back matchups in Pittsburgh and Toronto. They’ve embraced the underdog role, keeping games close against the Bruins and Maple Leafs while dominating the Penguins 6-1. However, with a 4-8 road record, they’re not accustomed to being favorites away from home.</p>



<p>After starting the season with three straight wins, Utah has struggled, winning just five of its last 18 games. They’ve endured five shutout losses during this stretch—the only category they lead the league in. While they rank middle of the pack in metrics like expected goals and shot attempt percentage at five-on-five, their high shot volume hasn’t translated to quality chances.&nbsp;</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="142"></div>



<p>Despite being a top-five team in shot attempts, they generate far fewer expected goals compared to other high-shot teams. The team is playing decent defense, though. Utah is currently ranked fifth in shot attempts against, 12th in expected goals against, and 13th in goals against at five-on-five.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That said, they’ve got a bottom-10 penalty kill to go along with a below-average power play and the team doesn’t have a single player producing at a point-per-game pace. <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/clayton-keller/2642">Clayton Keller</a> (6-13–19) and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/dylan-guenther/34613">Dylan Guenther</a> (9-9–18) lead the way, but goaltender <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/karel-vejmelka/26614">Karel Vejmelka</a> is the team’s most valuable player right now. Vejmelka ranks fourth in goals saved above expected, according to Evolving Hockey.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Handicapping the Montreal Canadiens (7-13 SU, 9-11 ATS, 11-9 O/U)</h2>



<p>Montreal received some good news this weekend as <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/patrik-laine/2633">Patrick Laine</a> practiced fully in a <a href="https://x.com/renlavoietva/status/1861066969937563751">regular jersey</a>. While his return seems imminent, he is not expected to play in Tuesday’s game. Laine has been out since the preseason with a knee sprain sustained against the Toronto Maple Leafs. When he does return, he could bolster Montreal’s offense, but for now, the Canadiens remain a below-average offensive team. According to Evolving Hockey, they rank 19th in goals, 23rd in expected goals, and 31st in shot attempts in all situations.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="197"></div>



<p>Defensively, the Canadiens rank 29th in expected goals against and 27th in shot attempts against, with only the Penguins allowing more goals per 60 minutes in all situations. Unlike last season, they aren’t benefiting from standout goaltending. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1U-WCaTy3EO1yGy4_TTfeTiPBa4I3R3iLbTr1fTzA5kU/edit?tab=t.0">Samuel Montembeault</a> has been average, ranking 38th in goals saved above expected (0.23) after finishing 10th (18.39) last season.</p>



<p>The Canadiens could get a break if Vejmelka doesn’t start for Utah. Montembeault has been confirmed for Montreal, while Utah may turn to undrafted <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/jaxson-stauber/30734">Jaxson Stauber</a>, who hasn’t played an NHL game since the 2022-23 season. Then again, he did post a 5-1 record with a .911 save percentage and 2.81 goals-against average during his stint with the Chicago Blackhawks.</p>



<p>Montreal’s special teams are performing well, ranking in the top 10. The Canadiens have converted 15 of 67 power plays (22.23%) and killed 56 of 68 penalties (82.35%). While this success may not be sustainable, their power play and penalty kill scoring rates align closely with Evolving Hockey’s expected goals model. Montreal also has a rest advantage, having had two days off since its 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. They face the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Wednesday.&nbsp;</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="196"></div>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Best Bets for Utah Hockey Club vs. Montreal Canadiens</h2>



<p><strong>Dylan Guenther Anytime Goal (+210) at Sports Interaction</strong></p>



<p>After scoring five goals in his first three games, Guenther has gone scoreless in 15 of his last 18. Despite this slump, he still leads the team in goals (nine), shots on goal (52), and shot attempts (127). With +210 odds, he’s a solid bet to score in a matchup against one of the league’s weakest defensive teams. Some sportsbooks list him as low as +170 to score, so be sure to place the bet where the odds are most favorable, such as Sports Interaction.</p>



<p><a href="https://app.actionnetwork.com/4zu6/chznhm6b"><em>Follow Andy’s hockey bets on the Action App!</em></a></p>
