For anyone that thinks the Vegas Golden Knights romping over the Montreal Canadiens is a forgone conclusion, that conclusion is now long gone. Les Canadiens were the team that romped in game two, with a 3-2 win that was not nearly as close as the score indicated. Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge could have been arrested for charges of suffocation. The Golden Knights were out of sorts all game as the Habs carried much of the play. Montreal was the more steady and fundamentally sound team. The Canadiens forced VGK into continuous mistakes. Now the series heads to Montreal for games three and four.
Game 3 of the best of seven series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens will take place on Friday, June 18, 2021, from Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. This game will be broadcast live on USA Network at 8 p.m. ET. We'll have NHL playoff odds and player props available at Bookmaker.eu for this and every game going on tonight's NHL Playoff slate.
NHL Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Golden Knights -160
Canadiens +146
Total 5.5
Odds Analysis
Vegas opened as an insane -550 favorite to win their series over Montreal. And the Golden Knights were a -238 stink bomb in their game two loss. Nevertheless, Vegas still carries the full faith of gamblers for game three. Montreal is getting the better betting odds as a live underdog with bite. Much of the Vegas money is local, as the worldwide capital of sports gambling is proud of and enamored with its first big-league franchise.
Although Vegas outshot the Canadiens 31-23 in game two, that stat is deceptive as the quality chances were even. Montreal goaltender Carey Price stopped 29 Vegas shots for the win. Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was off his game. The Flower allowed three goals on 23 shots.
A big lesson from game one of the second round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs is ignored by the masses. Vegas dropped their first two games at Colorado, including a 7-1 whitewash in game one. As a result, the Golden Knights were written off for dead. Yet from there, Vegas rallied to win the next four games and the series. When Montreal lost game one at Vegas 4-1, they were said to be outclassed. Not anymore. Game two demonstrated the Canadiens' ability to throw opponents off their game. And then Carey Price does the rest.
Vegas Golden Knights
The strength of Vegas is its ability to roll four lines without any concerns about a drop of quality. Vegas draws goal scoring from a wide variety of sources. Six Golden Knights players have scored at least four goals in the postseason.
Golden Knights goaltender Marc Andre Fleury has been outstanding for most of the playoffs with a .923 save percentage, 1.92 goals against average, and one shutout.
Montreal Canadiens
Any conversation about the Canadiens begins with goaltender Carey Price. So far in the playoffs, Price has a dominant .930 save percentage, 2.14 goals against average, and one shutout. For the past couple of seasons, the media, fans, and gamblers have been down on Price. The real issue is that he lacked a capable supporting cast. But in the offseason, general manager Marc Bergevin supplemented his roster by building a team meant for the playoffs. A disjointed regular season had fans screaming for Bergevin's head. Now the playoffs are revealing his skill and blueprint.
Vegas vs. Montreal Game 3 Prediction
Game two should wake everyone up about the Canadiens' ability to hang with the Golden Knights. Not only can Montreal win this game and series, but they can also frustrate Vegas in a way few other teams can do. Montreal is a quality home underdog playing on home ice. They carry the hopes of a passionate generational fan base. Vegas has a lot to correct, despite its superior depth and skill. The Golden Knights are an excellent team that is overpriced against an underrated but structured Habs team with the best goalie on Earth.
BookMaker Pick: Montreal Canadiens
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