Montreal Canadiens at Pittsburgh Penguins — Bettor’s Scouting Report

Portfolio A · MTL — forward shot volume

Pittsburgh Penguins have allowed 20.33 shots on goal per game to opposing forwards (+1.2% versus league). That opens a Montreal Canadiens forward SOG search. Montreal Canadiens have generated 19.11 through their forwards (-5.0% versus league), which describes their normal volume. Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Alexandre Texier and Zack Bolduc have supplied 50% of their team's prior production here, with 50% coming from others. That puts their SOG markets at the front of this shot-volume read.

Portfolio B · MTL — PP1 assist production

Pittsburgh Penguins have allowed 5.58 assists per game, while Montreal Canadiens have produced 5.78. Those are full-game historical rates. Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky have supplied 46% of their team's prior production here, with 54% coming from others. Their assist markets track their part in the PP1 scoring pool.

Portfolio C · MTL — PP1 finishing

Pittsburgh Penguins have allowed 3.35 goals per game, while Montreal Canadiens have scored 3.36. Those are full-game historical rates. Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield and Ivan Demidov have supplied 46% of their team's prior production here, with 54% coming from others. Those PP1 scoring histories put their goal markets in view.

Portfolio D · PIT — PP1 assist production

Montreal Canadiens have allowed 5.45 assists per game, while Pittsburgh Penguins have produced 6.02. Those are full-game historical rates. Erik Karlsson, Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell and Ben Kindel have supplied 30% of their team's prior production here, with 70% coming from others. Their assist markets track their part in the PP1 scoring pool.

Montreal Canadiens — SOG scouting

Pittsburgh Penguins allowed 20.33 SOG/game to forward lines (+1.2% versus league). That defensive allowance opens a forward lines SOG search. Montreal Canadiens generated 19.11 (-5.0% versus league) in their prior games; that normal team volume does not erase the matchup. The player scan is attack — broad. Overall, Pittsburgh Penguins allowed 27.7 SOG/game and Montreal Canadiens generated 26.2; the positional split matters more for this read.

Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky are the primary current shot owners. Alexandre Texier and Zack Bolduc add current roles with historical five-on-five SOG and attempts. The player tables show each current line or pair, PP route, qualified shot history and an exact quote when one was observed.

Rates are prior per-game observations from their own qualified cohorts; attempts and SOG are one nested shot pool.

Pittsburgh Penguins — SOG scouting

The opponent has allowed fewer SOG than league to both positional groups. Overall, Montreal Canadiens allowed 27.2 SOG/game and Pittsburgh Penguins generated 27.6; the positional split matters more for this read.

The historical defensive allowance does not open a SOG-over search in either position group.

Rates are prior per-game observations from their own qualified cohorts; attempts and SOG are one nested shot pool.

Montreal Canadiens — forward shot volume

Pittsburgh Penguins have allowed 20.33 shots on goal per game to opposing forwards (+1.2% versus league). That opens a Montreal Canadiens forward SOG search. Montreal Canadiens have generated 19.11 through their forwards (-5.0% versus league), which describes their normal volume. The defensive allowance starts the player scan; the team’s prior shooting rate does not veto it.

Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky carry the largest prior share of this shot group. Alexandre Texier and Zack Bolduc also have current lines and recorded five-on-five shots and attempts, so the shot case reaches beyond the primary names. Other players supplied 50% of the team's prior group SOG. Alexandre Texier recorded 1.52 SOG and 3.15 attempts per qualified game at five-on-five; current PP2 membership adds a possible route, with 0.04 SOG and 0.07 attempts per game in prior power-play states. The teams’ past PP chance rates add context for that route. Zack Bolduc recorded 1.10 SOG and 2.44 attempts per qualified game at five-on-five; current PP2 membership adds a possible route, with 0.27 SOG and 0.56 attempts per game in prior power-play states. The teams’ past PP chance rates add context for that route. Attempts include shots that missed or were blocked; they are part of the same shot pool as SOG.

That makes their SOG markets the cleanest way to bet on the shots. They need to put pucks on net; they do not need to score.

Montreal Canadiens — PP1 assist production

Pittsburgh Penguins have allowed 5.58 assists per game, while Montreal Canadiens have produced 5.78. Those are full-game historical rates. On the power play, Montreal Canadiens have produced 0.46 assists per chance, and Pittsburgh Penguins have allowed 0.38. A goal creates the chance for a credited assist; the current PP1 group has done much of that scoring work.

Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky have 52 prior current-team credited PP assists between them and are on today's PP1. Their current lines or pairs give them ice outside the power play too. Other players supplied 54% of the team's full-game historical assists.

That makes their assist markets the way to bet on their part in the scoring, without guessing who will make a particular pass.

Montreal Canadiens — PP1 finishing

Pittsburgh Penguins have allowed 3.35 goals per game, while Montreal Canadiens have scored 3.36. Those are full-game historical rates. On the power play, Montreal Canadiens have produced 0.24 goals per chance, and Pittsburgh Penguins have allowed 0.20. They have scored enough to make the current PP1 finishers worth examining, especially if the top unit gets its usual chances.

Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield and Ivan Demidov have 28 prior current-team PP goals between them and are on today's PP1. Their current lines or pairs give them ice outside the power play too. Other players supplied 54% of the team's full-game historical goals.

That puts their PP1 goal markets on the finishing list. Each bet needs that player to finish a chance.

Pittsburgh Penguins — PP1 assist production

Montreal Canadiens have allowed 5.45 assists per game, while Pittsburgh Penguins have produced 6.02. Those are full-game historical rates. On the power play, Pittsburgh Penguins have produced 0.57 assists per chance, and Montreal Canadiens have allowed 0.42. A goal creates the chance for a credited assist; the current PP1 group has done much of that scoring work.

Erik Karlsson, Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell and Ben Kindel have 32 prior current-team credited PP assists between them and are on today's PP1. Their current lines or pairs give them ice outside the power play too. Other players supplied 70% of the team's full-game historical assists.

That makes their assist markets the way to bet on their part in the scoring, without guessing who will make a particular pass.

Montreal Canadiens PP1

Montreal Canadiens have averaged 2.96 power plays per game, and Pittsburgh Penguins have conceded 3.00. Together those past rates sit at roughly 3 chances. That is a little more favorable than average, giving PP1 another chance to matter.

When Montreal Canadiens have had the extra skater, they generated 1.28 SOG per chance; Pittsburgh Penguins allowed 1.27. Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky have scored the most PP goals among today's PP1, while Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield have supplied the most credited PP assists. The listed unit is current, but its minutes tonight are not guaranteed.

PP2 (informational): Chris Kreider, Alex Newhook, Alexandre Texier, Zack Bolduc, Noah Dobson.

Pittsburgh Penguins PP1

Pittsburgh Penguins have averaged 2.83 power plays per game, and Montreal Canadiens have conceded 3.00. Together those past rates sit at roughly 3 chances. That is close to average, so PP1 has to produce from about its usual number of chances.

When Pittsburgh Penguins have had the extra skater, they generated 1.42 SOG per chance; Montreal Canadiens allowed 1.43. Sidney Crosby and Ben Kindel have scored the most PP goals among today's PP1, while Erik Karlsson and Sidney Crosby have supplied the most credited PP assists. The listed unit is current, but its minutes tonight are not guaranteed.

PP2 (informational): Egor Chinakhov, Evgeni Malkin, Hendrix Lapierre, Andrei Kuzmenko, Kris Letang.