Hurricanes vs Canadiens Prediction, Odds, and the Best Bet of the Night

The stakes don’t get much bigger than this. With the #2 wild-card slot in the East hanging in the balance, the Montreal Canadiens host the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at the Bell Centre for their final game of the 2025 NHL season. For Montreal, this is it and there’s no looking back. If they win, or at least get to overtime, their postseason dream lives on. A regulation loss? Then they’ll have to sweat out Columbus’s final result tomorrow night and hope for help.

Carolina, on the other hand, has long since clinched their spot in the playoff race. Locked into the #2 seed in the Metropolitan Division, they’ve got little on the line here besides staying healthy and getting some reps in for their playoff run.

That potential difference in urgency looms large in tonight’s matchup.

Game Details and Current Betting Odds

The puck drops at 6:00 PM from the Bell Centre, a place where Montreal has been surprisingly sneaky strong. The Canadiens have won 8 straight home games against Eastern Conference teams, and they’re riding a late-season surge that includes wins over Detroit and Nashville, despite losing their last 3.

The betting markets have taken notice as well. Montreal is a slight favorite on the moneyline at -122 despite sitting nearly 10 points behind Carolina in the standings, but the odds undoubtedly reflect their potential to rest players or limit ice time for their stars.

Bettors should watch lineups closely leading up to the puck drop, but all signs point toward the Canadiens being the more locked-in squad. They have more riding on this game.

The total sits at 5.5 goals, and while the Bell Centre has averaged over 6+ goals per game this season, we feel that the playoff-style intensity could keep this one tighter than expected.

Hurricanes: Still Dangerous, But Possibly Dialed Back

The Hurricanes have built their reputation on structure, depth, and relentless puck pressure. They’ve been smoking hot all season. That’s how they’ve reached 47 wins and a +39 goal differential on the season.

Sebastian Aho leads the team with 74 points and 45 assists, while Seth Jarvis has a team-high 32 goals. Their top-6 is undeniably stacked, but they also get some work done with depth.

Goaltending has quietly been a strength as well. Frederik Andersen has outperformed Pyotr Kochetkov in both GAA and SV%, and he could get the nod tonight depending on how the coaching staff wants to approach it. Andersen owns a 2.29 GAA and .907 SV%, and he looked sharp in his last appearance. With games like this, coaches have to balance rest and staying sharp so it’s tough to know who we’ll get in between the pipes.

Still, Carolina hasn’t exactly been sharp in recent weeks. They’ve lost 3 of their last 5 and were recently outclassed by Toronto and Buffalo. The Canes have also failed to cover the puck line in each of their last 8 road games against Atlantic Division teams. It’s hard to overlook that trend, especially in a game where their motivation is questionable. Then again, they’ve owned their playoff spot for a while and could already be trying out different things. We wouldn’t get too focused on that, but it could mean something for the Habs.

Canadiens: A Team with Everything to Play For

Montreal might not have the depth or experience of Carolina, but they’ve got something more important this time of year — urgency. They need a win to control their own fate.

The Canadiens are 6-2-2 in their last 10 games, and their leaders are stepping up. Nick Suzuki has undoubtedly been the engine, with 87 points including 58 assists. Cole Caufield has done his share of the work as he’s chipped in with 37 goals and remains their best pure scorer. Rookie defenseman Lane Hutson has been a quiet force, dishing out 59 assists and providing a spark on the power play unit. It might not be the Hurricanes squad, but the Habs aren’t pushovers, either.

In the crease, Samuel Montembeault has carried the load. His 30 wins this season come with a .901 SV% and a 2.83 GAA. Of course, he’s not flashy, but he’s been dependable — and that’s all Montreal needs in a must-win or OTL.

The Habs have also been playing tighter games as of late. Their last 3 wins have all come by just a single goal, and 2 of them were gritty, low-scoring games. That style is playoff-ready, and it’s working at just the right time.

Head-to-Head

This will be the 3rd and final meeting between these 2 powerhouses.

The season series is tied 1-1, with each team picking up a win by 3 goals. The last game in March saw the Hurricanes win 4-1, but that was during a time when the Canes were fighting for playoff positioning. In February, the Canadiens handed the Canes a 4-0 shutout loss, so they’ve proven they can get the job done.

The standings tell one story, but momentum and desperation tell another. Montreal has everything to play for heading into tonight, and they’ve been excellent at home, especially against teams from the other conference.

Carolina may rest some of its top guys or play it safe with ice time, and that matters. This game is more about who needs it more — and that answer is clear.

Prediction and Best Bet

We’re backing the Canadiens for tonight’s game.

Not because they’re better on paper — they’re definitely not — but because this is effectively a playoff game for them.

The crowd at the Bell Centre will be electric, and Montreal’s best players are coming into the matchup in top form. Carolina may come out strong, but not looking to put undue stress on the team. The edge in intensity and urgency lies with the home team.

• HelloRookie’s Prediction: Canadiens 3, Hurricanes 2
• Best Bet: Montreal Canadiens moneyline at -122

These aren’t the sexiest odds in the world, but even the bookmakers are seeing where this game is heading. If you like money, then you’ll like this bet. We would be very surprised if the Canadiens let this one slip away and put their playoff hopes in the hands of the Blue Jackets.

For a little more value on your bet slip, consider Nick Suzuki Over 0.5 Assists as a player prop. He’s had at least one assist in 5 of his last 6 games, and the offense flows through him. We’re pretty sure he gets 1-2 helpers as he looks to push his team to the playoffs.