The Montreal Canadiens enter Game 4 of their series against the Buffalo Sabres coming off back-to-back wins for the first time this postseason. Montreal alternated wins with Tampa Bay in their epic 7-game series in the first round, and after dropping Game 1 in Buffalo, the Habs have taken control of the series with a pair of emphatic wins in Games 2 and 3. Montreal out-scored Buffalo 11-3 in those 2 contests, which gives Martin St. Louis’ team plenty of momentum heading into Tuesday’s Game 4.
The Canadiens have a huge edge when it comes to the power play, as they are clicking at a strong 20.5% clip on the man advantage in the playoffs, while Buffalo’s power play percentage sits at just 11.1%. But Montreal isn’t too reliant on special teams, as just 2 of their 11 goals over the last 2 games have come a man up. They are thriving when playing 5-on-5, and are generating far more high-danger chances than Buffalo. Look for the Canadiens to take a commanding 3-1 series lead with a home victory in Game 4.
Now see our expert’s full Canadiens vs Sabres Game 4 predictions
The first 2 games of this series between the Ducks and Golden Knights stayed under the total, but the last 2 games have both gone over. Game 4 featured the lowest shot total for each team in this series, and yet 7 total goals were still scored. Neither goaltender has been reliable in this series, and that was extremely evident in Game 4 as Carter Hart allowed 4 goals on 23 shots and Lukas Dostal allowed 3 goals on just 21 shots. Dostal’s save percentage now sits at .875 in this series, and things won’t get any easier as the Ducks hit the road for Game 5 in Vegas. The Golden Knights have scored 3+ goals in 4 of their 5 playoff games at home, and they should be able to give Dostal more issues in this one.
The Ducks play a high-flying style of hockey that relies on speed and playmaking ability in the offensive zone. They tend to pay more attention to the offensive zone than the defensive zone, and that style has resulted in plenty of high-scoring games for Anaheim in the postseason. More specifically, the Ducks are scoring 3.60 goals per game but allowing 3.40 goals per game in the postseason. With the total listed at 6.5 with plus-money odds to the over, the over is the play a pivotal Game 5.
Read our full Ducks vs Golden Knights Game 5 prediction
