Montreal Canadiens vs Carolina Hurricanes Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 01/01/26

The Montreal Canadiens are heading to Carolina to face the Hurricanes for the first time this season. In their last two games, they pulled off incredible comebacks, earning three out of four possible points. However, despite their resilience, it’s unrealistic to expect a miracle every night in the third period. Montreal has performed well on the road this season, boasting an 11-3-5 record and a top-5 power play. However, the last time they won in Carolina was in April 2016, nearly ten years ago. Will they be able to break that streak tonight?

The Hurricanes received unfortunate news: goalie Pyotr Kochetkov is out for the season due to an injury. However, this could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Frederik Andersen is getting older, and his performance this season has not been up to par. In his place, Brandon Bussi has stepped up and contributed significantly to the team, with a record of 13 wins, 1 loss, and 1 overtime loss, a 2.08 goals-against average (GAA), and a .912 save percentage (SV%).

Carolina is known for generating shots, averaging just over 32 per game. In contrast, the Canadiens shoot less, and their numbers drop even further on the road. While we might not expect a high-scoring match, given Bussi’s impressive performance and Montreal’s difficulties in generating offence at even strength, the Hurricanes should come out on top. We anticipate some value here and believe they can cover the puck line, ideally without the need for an empty-net goal.

Canadiens vs Hurricanes Prediction: Hurricanes -1.5 (+140) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.