by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Feb 25, 2023
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Venue: Centre Bell, Montreal, QE
Where to watch: CBC, TVAS, SNE, SNO, NHLN
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Senators -165, Canadiens +140
FanDuel: NL
BetMGM: Senators -175, Canadiens +145
Caesars: Senators -169, Canadiens +143
Season record
Senators: 27-26-4
Canadiens: 25-29-4
The All-Star break is over, the second half of the NHL season can officially begin, and we're bound for what should be a very exciting second half of the hockey season. Basketball and hockey are about to rule the roost in the sports betting world once the Super Bowl is done with, and we should all be very excited for what's to come. When the trade deadline hits and players switch teams, you know things are about to get hectic over these final 30 games or so. One way you can stay tuned with the action is following what our champion handicappers are doing in the world of the NHL. Look at ASA, Inc., reeling in a $6,750 profit off a 17-9-0 run. Al McMordie is also doing well on the ice with a 13-5-0 run and a net profit of $6,050. Scott Rickenbach has also been hanging strong with a lot of betting action, in what's been an unusual year, with a 24-18-0 run and reeling in $5,950. You know this action is going to be great now that games are back and a busy second half if on the horizon. All you need to do is head to our BEST BETS page at bigal.com to find out all of what we're trying to tell you. Make sure you're locked in at bigal.com and go to our Best Bets page to find out what our champion handicappers have to say in the world of the NHL!
Senators - Canadiens preview, prediction and analysis
The Ottawa Senators will be playing the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, February 25 in Montreal.
The Ottawa Senators lost against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, February 24 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina with a score of 4-0. The Ottawa Senators currently rank 7th in the Atlantic Division.
Cam Talbot made 26 saves after missing nine games with a lower-body injury for the Senators (27-26-4), who have lost two in a row and are 1-2-1 in their past four games.
"In the second and third period, we pushed and played as well as I thought we could," Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. "But we [lost] the game in the first period. Take nothing away from them. They're a good team."
After being outshot 17-7 in the first, the Senators outshot the Hurricanes 25-13 over the final two periods.
"I think everybody is frustrated," Ottawa defenseman Thomas Chabot said. "At this point, we want to win games, we want to get in the mix. But you've still got to take some positive. The last 40 minutes were the way we play and that's the way we have success. Obviously, we couldn't find the back of the net."
The Ottawa Senators have won six of their last 10 games.
The Montreal Canadiens won against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday, February 24 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a score of 5-2. The Montreal Canadiens currently rank 8th in the Atlantic Division.
Jesse Ylonen had a goal and an assist for the Montreal Canadiens. The forward skated through the slot and redirected Justin Barron's shot at 6:26 of the third period for his first goal of the season in his 17th game to give Montreal a 4-1 lead. The 23-year-old has three goals in 32 NHL games.
"It felt good," he said. "It's been a while, so it felt good. ... But the main thing is just trying to win the games. I think today I could help the team a little bit in that. That's the biggest thing, just to get some wins now."
Mike Hoffman had two assists, and Jake Allen made 24 saves for the Canadiens (25-29-4), who have won five of their past seven games. Jake Allen made 24 saves.
"It was one of our best games of the year, just being complete," Montreal forward Josh Anderson said. "Everyone knew where each other was. We were really balanced tonight, and it showed. When everybody's in the right spot, it's easy to play like that. It just looked like everybody was connected."
David Savard gave Montreal a 1-0 lead at 17:50 of the first period. Philadelphia got caught on a line change after a long shift in its own zone, and Hoffman found Savard skating into open space for a goal from in close.
Chris Tierney made it 2-0 at 19:55 in his Canadiens debut after being claimed on waivers from the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
"You feel better when you get on the board," Tierney said. "I thought the team is playing really well, and I kind of just fed off that. It was a good first win."
Nick Suzuki's centering pass from the left side for Josh Anderson instead went in off the stick of Provorov for a power-play goal to put the Canadiens ahead 3-0 at 7:12 of the second period.
Owen Tippett scored nine seconds into the third period to make it 3-1. Ylonen redirected Justin Barron's shot past Hart at 6:26 to give Montreal a 4-1 lead, and Anderson made it 5-1 at 12:12.
Ivan Provorov finished a give-and-go with Tony DeAngelo at 18:32 for the 5-2 final.
Josh Anderson made it 5-1 at 12:12 after Rafael Harvey-Pinard stole the puck from Philadelphia defenseman Tony DeAngelo behind the net.
Ivan Provorov finished a give-and-go with DeAngelo at 18:32 for the 5-2 final.
The Montreal Canadiens have won five of their last 10 games.
Prediction
I wonder how mad Ottawa is after letting that one get away. Senators 4, Canadiens 3
The Ottawa Senators lost against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, February 24 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina with a score of 4-0. The Ottawa Senators currently rank 7th in the Atlantic Division.
Cam Talbot made 26 saves after missing nine games with a lower-body injury for the Senators (27-26-4), who have lost two in a row and are 1-2-1 in their past four games.
"In the second and third period, we pushed and played as well as I thought we could," Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said. "But we [lost] the game in the first period. Take nothing away from them. They're a good team."
After being outshot 17-7 in the first, the Senators outshot the Hurricanes 25-13 over the final two periods.
"I think everybody is frustrated," Ottawa defenseman Thomas Chabot said. "At this point, we want to win games, we want to get in the mix. But you've still got to take some positive. The last 40 minutes were the way we play and that's the way we have success. Obviously, we couldn't find the back of the net."
The Ottawa Senators have won six of their last 10 games.
The Montreal Canadiens won against the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday, February 24 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a score of 5-2. The Montreal Canadiens currently rank 8th in the Atlantic Division.
Jesse Ylonen had a goal and an assist for the Montreal Canadiens. The forward skated through the slot and redirected Justin Barron's shot at 6:26 of the third period for his first goal of the season in his 17th game to give Montreal a 4-1 lead. The 23-year-old has three goals in 32 NHL games.
"It felt good," he said. "It's been a while, so it felt good. ... But the main thing is just trying to win the games. I think today I could help the team a little bit in that. That's the biggest thing, just to get some wins now."
Mike Hoffman had two assists, and Jake Allen made 24 saves for the Canadiens (25-29-4), who have won five of their past seven games. Jake Allen made 24 saves.
"It was one of our best games of the year, just being complete," Montreal forward Josh Anderson said. "Everyone knew where each other was. We were really balanced tonight, and it showed. When everybody's in the right spot, it's easy to play like that. It just looked like everybody was connected."
David Savard gave Montreal a 1-0 lead at 17:50 of the first period. Philadelphia got caught on a line change after a long shift in its own zone, and Hoffman found Savard skating into open space for a goal from in close.
Chris Tierney made it 2-0 at 19:55 in his Canadiens debut after being claimed on waivers from the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
"You feel better when you get on the board," Tierney said. "I thought the team is playing really well, and I kind of just fed off that. It was a good first win."
Nick Suzuki's centering pass from the left side for Josh Anderson instead went in off the stick of Provorov for a power-play goal to put the Canadiens ahead 3-0 at 7:12 of the second period.
Owen Tippett scored nine seconds into the third period to make it 3-1. Ylonen redirected Justin Barron's shot past Hart at 6:26 to give Montreal a 4-1 lead, and Anderson made it 5-1 at 12:12.
Ivan Provorov finished a give-and-go with Tony DeAngelo at 18:32 for the 5-2 final.
Josh Anderson made it 5-1 at 12:12 after Rafael Harvey-Pinard stole the puck from Philadelphia defenseman Tony DeAngelo behind the net.
Ivan Provorov finished a give-and-go with DeAngelo at 18:32 for the 5-2 final.
The Montreal Canadiens have won five of their last 10 games.
Prediction
I wonder how mad Ottawa is after letting that one get away. Senators 4, Canadiens 3
Betting trends
Senators are 9-6 against division opponents this season.
Canadiens are 4-12 against division opponents this season.
Projected lines
Senators:
Brady Tkachuk -- Tim Stutzle -- Claude Giroux
Alex DeBrincat -- Ridly Greig -- Drake Batherson
Derick Brassard -- Shane Pinto -- Mathieu Joseph
Austin Watson -- Dylan Gambrell -- Julien Gauthier
Thomas Chabot -- Nikita Zaitsev
Erik Brannstrom -- Jake Sanderson
Nick Holden -- Travis Hamonic
Cam Talbot
Brady Tkachuk -- Tim Stutzle -- Claude Giroux
Alex DeBrincat -- Ridly Greig -- Drake Batherson
Derick Brassard -- Shane Pinto -- Mathieu Joseph
Austin Watson -- Dylan Gambrell -- Julien Gauthier
Thomas Chabot -- Nikita Zaitsev
Erik Brannstrom -- Jake Sanderson
Nick Holden -- Travis Hamonic
Cam Talbot
Canadiens:
Rafael Harvey-Pinard -- Nick Suzuki -- Josh Anderson
Rem Pitlick -- Christian Dvorak -- Evgenii Dadonov
Mike Hoffman -- Jonathan Drouin -- Jesse Ylonen
Michael Pezzetta -- Chris Tierney -- Alex Belzile
Mike Matheson -- Justin Barron
Corey Schueneman -- David Savard
Jordan Harris -- Johnathan Kovacevic
Jake Allen
Rafael Harvey-Pinard -- Nick Suzuki -- Josh Anderson
Rem Pitlick -- Christian Dvorak -- Evgenii Dadonov
Mike Hoffman -- Jonathan Drouin -- Jesse Ylonen
Michael Pezzetta -- Chris Tierney -- Alex Belzile
Mike Matheson -- Justin Barron
Corey Schueneman -- David Savard
Jordan Harris -- Johnathan Kovacevic
Jake Allen
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
