Free NHL Picks Today: Montreal Canadiens vs Colorado Avalanche 3/13/23

The Montreal Canadiens (26-34-6) will be out to end their losing streak when they welcome the Colorado Avalanche (36-22-6) at Bell Centre on Monday. Colorado is playing their first of four games on the road coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the Coyotes on Saturday. The Avalanche committed only one penalty in the game, holding Arizona without a power play goal.

Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Denis Malgin each scored once for the Avalanche. MacKinnon added an assist to share the scoring lead with Mikko Rantanen, who had two assists. Alexandar Georgiev allowed two goals on 20 shots against (.900%) in the win.

Montreal is playing their last of four games at home after a 3-1 loss against the Devils on Saturday, their sixth straight defeat. Denis Gurianov netted the only goal for the Canadiens. Jake Allen saved 34 of 36 shots (.944%) in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Avalanche won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 2-1 (OT) victory in December, their fourth straight win against Montreal. Rantanen led Colorado with two points (1G 1A). Anthony Richard scored Montreal’s only goal. Georgiev got the win, saving 19 of 20 shots (.950%).

FACING OFF

Colorado is averaging 3.16 goals per game for the season, 15th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Canadiens team that is allowing 3.55 goals a game (25th). Meanwhile, Montreal has found the net 2.67 times a game on average, 28th in the league, and the Avalanche are allowing opponents to score 2.78 goals per game (9th).

Montreal averages fewer shots (27.7) than most teams in the league, ranking 30th. With an average of 33.4 attempts, Colorado ranks sixth. The Canadiens’ 15.74% power play percentage is the third-worst in the league, while the Avalanche rank seventh with a conversion rate of 23.15%. Montreal has been equally unimpressive at penalty killing, as the home team owns the league’s fourth-lowest PK% at 74.07%. Colorado’s 79.08% ranks 18th in the NHL.

TOP PERFORMERS:

MacKinnon (79 points), Rantanen (76), and Makar (52) have been the top skaters this season for the Avalanche. Rantanen is among the league leaders with his 42 goals (3rd).

Makar has been another offensive leader for Colorado, scoring 15 and assisting 37. In the net, Pavel Francouz (7-7-1) is Colorado’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.53 GAA and a .919% save percentage.

Georgiev (27-14-5) leads the Avalanche in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 2.64 and a save percentage of .918%.Nick Suzuki leads the Canadiens in scoring with 49 points.

He has 21 goals and 28 assists in 66 games. Sam Montembeault (12-13-3) has the best goals against average for Montreal at 3.28. He has a save percentage of .905%. Allen (14-20-3) has played the most games in net for the Canadiens this season. He has a 3.35 GAA and a .898% save percentage.