Montreal Canadiens vs Carolina Hurricanes Prediction, 1/1/2026 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds
Game: Montreal Canadiens vs Carolina Hurricanes
Date: Thursday, January 1, 2026
Location: PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC
TV: Fanduel Sports Network
Odds/Point Spread: Canadiens (+110) Hurricanes (-130)
The Carolina Hurricanes (23-11-3) will compete against the Montreal Canadiens (20-12-6) at PNC Arena on Thursday. The line on this contest has Montreal at +110 and Carolina is sitting at -130. The total is 6.
The Montreal Canadiens had a decent effort after finishing in a 4-4 tie against the Lightning in their previous game. Montreal garnered 7 penalty minutes for this contest. In addition, they had 4 power play opportunities but weren't able to score. The Canadiens had a solid offensive performance in this game. In the game, they finished 4 out of the 36 shots they put on net.
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Montreal Canadiens opponents have tallied 122 power play tries (8th in the league) and have scored 27 goals in those chances. The Canadiens have seen 1,033 shots taken against them and hold a save percentage of .879. Montreal has taken 976 shots and is the owner of a shooting percentage of 12.8%. When playing at even strength, the Canadiens have surrendered 98 goals while having 98 on the offensive side of the ice. Montreal has compiled 108 power play opportunities and they have scored 27 goals out of those tries, earning them a percentage of 25.00%. For the season, they have recorded 46 points and their points percentage sits at .605. In terms of their scoring, the Montreal Canadiens have earned 125 goals (6th in pro hockey) so far this season and have conceded 125.
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The man protecting the goal in this game is Jakub Dobes. Dobes has participated in 36 games throughout his hockey career. He has amassed a record of 19-9-6 and got the start in 34 games. The opposition has notched 95 goals versus Dobes in his pro hockey career and his goals against average per contest is 2.79. Dobes has seen 957 shots taken against him and has recorded 862 total saves. His save percentage currently is at .901 in his 895 mins between the pipes. From the beginning of his pro career to now, Dobes has tallied 20 quality starts and his percentage for quality starts is .588.
In their last game, Carolina went up against the Red Wings in an outing where the Hurricanes earned a win by a final score of 5-2. They had 1 power play attempt in this outing but weren't able to score a goal. The Hurricanes recorded 5 goals of the 38 shots on goal they were seeking.
The Hurricanes have tallied 103 goals at even strength and 19 goals (22nd in hockey) while on the power play. Carolina has put up 1,202 shots (2nd in hockey) and has earned a shooting percentage of 10.15%, while allowing the opposition 912 shots. For the year, the Carolina Hurricanes have earned 122 goals, 49 points, in addition to a points percentage of .662. They have granted a total of 106 goals to be scored by of a combination of 86 goals at even strength and 20 goals while they were shorthanded. They have a tally of 114 opportunities on the power play and they have earned a power play percentage of 16.67%. They have a penalty kill percentage of 80.77% on the other teams 104 opportunities on the power play, and their save percentage is currently 88.4%.
For the opposition you will find Brandon Bussi in net. He has compiled 312 stops out of the 342 shots attempted against him, which gives him a save % of .912. Bussi has a career mark of 12-1-1 and has played in 14 games. He has been a starter 14 contests and his ice time sits at 36 minutes. Bussi's quality start percentage comes out to 71.4% and he has made 10 quality starts in his professional career. Teams are averaging 2.14 goals per contest and he has allowed 30 goals overall.
Who will win tonight's NHL game against the spread or moneyline?
Guy's Pick: Take Montreal (+110)
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Additional Resources:
Carolina Hurricanes - Twitter
Montreal Canadiens - Twitter