Lightning vs. Canadiens Prediction and Odds - Dec 17, 2022

The Montreal Canadiens square off with the favored Tampa Bay Lightning in NHL action at Bell Centre on Saturday, commencing at 7:00PM ET.

Dimers' free betting picks for Lightning vs. Canadiens, plus game predictions, betting odds and projected player stats, are detailed below.

Who will win Lightning vs. Canadiens?

Based on advanced computer power and data, Dimers.com has simulated Saturday's Lightning-Canadiens NHL matchup 10,000 times.

Dimers' famous predictive analytics model, DimersBOT, currently gives the Lightning a 67% chance of defeating the Canadiens.

More: Lightning vs. Canadiens Simulated 10K Times

Lightning vs. Canadiens Current Odds

• Puck Line: Canadiens +1.5 (-120), Lightning -1.5 (+105)
• Moneyline: Canadiens +220, Lightning -250
• Total: Over/Under 6.5 (+110/-130)

Puck Line, Moneyline and Over/Under

The Canadiens are currently +1.5 underdogs versus the Lightning, with -120 at BetMGM the best odds currently available.

For the favored Lightning (-1.5) to cover the puck line, DraftKings Sportsbook has the best odds currently on offer at +105.

PointsBet currently has the best moneyline odds for the Canadiens at +220, which means you can bet $100 to profit $220, earning a total payout of $320, if they win.

On the other hand, BetMGM currently has the best moneyline odds for the Lightning at -250, where you can risk $250 to win $100, for a total payout of $350, if they come out on top.

The Over/Under sits at 6.5 with PointsBet, which currently has the best odds for the Over at +110, as well as the best odds for the Under at -130.

As always, make sure you check all of the legal sportbooks available in your state for the best NHL odds and lines.

According to DimersBOT, the Canadiens (+1.5) are a 56% chance of covering the puck line, while the 6.5-goal Over/Under is a 54% chance of going Under.

More: Free Prop Picks

Best Bets for Lightning vs. Canadiens

• Puck Line: Canadiens +1.5 @ -120 via BetMGM (56% probability)
• Moneyline: Canadiens @ +220 via PointsBet (2.0% edge)
• Total: Over 6.5 @ +110 via PointsBet

Our best bets are based on complex simulations and gambling expertise to serve you the best possible plays every time.

While the Lightning are more likely to win the game, according to DimersBOT, betting on the Canadiens moneyline is the best option because of the 2.0% edge found when comparing our data-led probabilities to the sportsbooks' odds currently available.

Taking advantage of the edges published here at Dimers is one of the keys to being profitable in the long run.

Furthermore, despite the Under being more likely to hit on this occasion, Over 6.5 is our best bet owing to the better odds (+110) that are available from PointsBet.

Lightning vs. Canadiens Prediction

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Dimers has full coverage of Saturday's Lightning-Canadiens matchup, including pregame predictions, computer picks, and live win probabilities.

Lightning vs. Canadiens Player Props

Who will score an anytime goal in Lightning vs. Canadiens? The latest data is in.

Listed below are the most likely first goal and most likely anytime goal scorers for both the Lightning and Canadiens.

And you know what, we provide this information to you for FREE to help you select the best prop bets for Saturday's game.

According to DimersBOT, Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov is most likely to score the first goal in Lightning vs. Canadiens.

DimersBOT gives Kucherov a 7.6% chance of scoring the first goal at Bell Centre, while the Lightning star is a 38.1% chance of netting an anytime goal.

Scroll down for the full list of first and anytime goal scorer probabilities.

First Goal Scorer Probabilities

Tampa Bay Lightning

• Nikita Kucherov: 7.6% probability
• Brayden Point: 7.4% probability
• Steven Stamkos: 7.1% probability
• Brandon Hagel: 5.5% probability
• Nick Paul: 4.7% probability

Montreal Canadiens

• Cole Caufield: 5.9% probability
• Nick Suzuki: 4.9% probability
• Mike Hoffman: 4.1% probability
• Christian Dvorak: 4.0% probability
• Josh Anderson: 3.9% probability

Anytime Goal Scorer Probabilities

Tampa Bay Lightning

• Steven Stamkos: 39.5% probability
• Nikita Kucherov: 38.1% probability
• Brayden Point: 36.0% probability
• Brandon Hagel: 25.5% probability
• Nick Paul: 24.7% probability

Montreal Canadiens

• Cole Caufield: 32.5% probability
• Nick Suzuki: 27.4% probability
• Mike Hoffman: 22.2% probability
• Josh Anderson: 21.5% probability
• Christian Dvorak: 21.2% probability

Remember, DimersBOT updates regularly, so keep an eye on this page for the latest betting insights ahead of Lightning vs. Canadiens on Saturday December 17, 2022.

Lightning vs. Canadiens 2022 Game Info

Saturday's matchup between the Canadiens and Lightning at Bell Centre is scheduled to begin at 7:00PM ET.

• Who: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Montreal Canadiens
• Date: Saturday December 17, 2022
• Time: 7:00PM ET / 4:00PM PT
• Venue: Bell Centre

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We use the power of predictive analytics to find edges in the markets so we can write the most comprehensive NHL betting previews out there. We're able to do this by comparing our own probabilities against the sportsbooks' odds (aka Vegas odds) as soon as they go live.

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