Goalie Jaroslav Halak, stopped 90 of the 92 shots, thereby showing some astounding resilience. The Habs win in the Game 7 depends heavily on Halak. He has been the best penalty killer.
Left wing Michael Cammalleri will also play a crucial role for the Habs as he scored twice in Game 6. He leads the team with 10 points and 5 goals.

After a 3-1 lead initially, it still seems quite unbelievable that Capitals could lose the series. It is surprising that Capitals, in 30 chances have only one power-play. They have to clear out all negative vibes and give a power packed, vintage performance.

“Tomorrow is a day one team is going to be going on vacation, I don’t want to think about vacation right now.” captain Alex Ovechkin said.

Washington defenseman Tom Poti, with a right eye injury will sit out.
Most of the popular NHL betting websites have set the line at WAS -325 TOTAL: 6 WIN-LOSS-OTL Montreal Canadiens 40-35-11 Washington Capitals 57-15-14.

For Canadiens the goal tending is the biggest major problem. Carey Price or Jaroslav Halak, either of them will have to do it for Habs.

Jaroslav Spacek may sit out cause of illness. Cammalleri leads the Canadiens with six points. Montreal Coach, Jacques Martin has to lift up the team to find the killer instinct in them.

Capitals leading with 3-1 should look out to sweep the series. Alex Ovechkin has four goals in last three games. The Capitals have outscored the Canadiens 19-12 in the series.

Since replacing Jose Theodore, goalie Semyon Varlamov has allowed seven goals on 88 shots

In the NHL betting odds, Washington Capitals, 27/100 and Montreal Canadiens, 29/10 as per most of the popular betting websites.

The Washington Capitals can win this series at home. The Capitals lead the series 2-1 but have yet to score in their 14 power-play opportunities against Montreal.

Alexander Ovechkin, Eric Fehr and Nicklas Backstrom are the key players for the Caps’ success. With no power play goals in five games including their last two regular-season games, the Capitals have to step on the gas.

“If the power play gets going it’s going to be better for us,” Ovechkin said. “But I hope when we need it it’s going to be working.” Mike Green had an impressive play this year against Montreal with 1 goal and 4 assists in the 4 games so far. He logged an average of around 29 minutes per game and was plus 5 too.

The Habs are having a difficult time and it seems they are not able to slow down Capitals. Capitals busted them out to a 4-0 lead and this was where Montreal lost it’s much needed composure. Plekanec and Cammalleri are the key players for the Habs. Jaroslav Halak has given up seven goals on the last 27 shots and on Monday he was pulled8:33 into the second period after he scored three goals in four shots. “When it comes to goaltending, I have said it all along, I feel and I’m confident that we have two goalies that can do the job and that give us an opportunity to win every night,” Martin said. “We’ll analyze who I feel will be the best man to go (Wednesday) night and we’ll let you know that (Wednesday).”

The current NHL Public Betting Information shows that 78% of more than 1,117 bets for this game have been placed on the Capitals -196.

The Devils are -190 moneyline favorites and the over/under is 5 in Hockey Betting Odds at Sportingbet.

New Jersey is 7-3 over the past 10 meetings. Only two of those 10 games have gone over the total.

The teams met just two weeks ago, when the Devils edged the Habs 2-1 in Montreal.

The Canadiens could be a tired team, as they lost 4-3 in overtime to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, as a -130 favorite. The score went over the 5.5-point total)

Scott Gomez had a goal and an assist in the loss.

Martin Brodeur needed to make just 22 shots to post his seventh shutout of the season on Wednesday, as the Devils blanked the Florida Panthers 2-0. The Devils won that contest as -175 favorites, and the teams played under the over/under total of 5.

Travis Zajac potted the early goal for the Devils, and Dean McAmmond scored into an empty net to seal the victory.

Montreal is 23-23-5 and has lost three straight games. New Jersey is 33-14-1.

Montreal is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road. New Jersey is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home.

The Canadiens are 150-moneyline favorites and the total is 6 in NHL Lines.

Montreal is 6-4 over the past 10 meetings. The Canadiens have won both meetings this season: 4-3 in Toronto on the opening night of the NHL season (Oct. 1), and 5-4 in Montreal on Oct. 31, as -140 home favorites.

Toronto goalie Jonas Gustavsson made 28 saves in the Maple Leafs’ 3-0 loss to the Sabres on Monday night. Buffalo cashed as -115 road favorites, while the teams played under the 6-goal total listed by sportsbooks.

And the Canadiens lost 4-3 to the Washington Capitals in a shootout at the Bell Centre Saturday. Washington won as a -147 road favorite while the final score played over the 5.5-goal total.

Montreal is 12-12-2 and has lost two straight games. Toronto is 6-12-7.

There is a very strong over trend in recent matchups. Eight of the past 10 meetings have gone over the total, including five of the past five overall, and four of the past five in Montreal.

The Blue Jackets (12-7-3), who have been one of the NHL’s best teams this season, have dropped two straight heading into action in Montreal.

The Canadiens (11-11-1) are -130 favorites and the over/under total is 5½ in NHL Odds at Sportingbet.

Columbus has a 4-3 edge over the past seven head-to-head matchups. The teams last squared off on Nov. 7 last season, a 4-3 Blue Jackets win as +150 home underdogs.

The Blue Jackets also picked up a win the last time they faced the Habs in Montreal. On Feb. 23, 2008, the Blue Jackets shut out the Canadiens 3-0.

In their last game Monday, Jared Boll had a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets in their 7-4 loss to the New York Rangers on Monday night. New York won as -130 home favorites and the score went over the 5.5-goal total.

And Michael Cammalleri scored both goals in the Canadiens’ 3-2 shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. The Canadiens were +120 underdogs in that game and the score slipped under the 5.5-goal total.

There is a string under trend in recent meetings, as the total has gone under in four of the past five meetings, both overall and in Montreal.

Calgary is a -125 favorite and the over/under total is 5.5 in Hockey Betting Odds at Sportingbet.

The teams have split the past 10 meetings, each winning five. Seven of those matchups have gone over the total. The teams last met on Oct. 6, when the Flames won 4-3 as a -170 home favorite. They last met in Montreal on Dec. 9 last season, a 4-1 Habs win.

In their last game Saturday, the Flames beat the New York Rangers 3-1 as -150 home favorites. Daymond Langkow, Jarome Inginla, and Rene Bourque each had a goal for the Flames.

The Canadiens were upset 3-1 by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Bell Centre Saturday. Tampa Bay won as a +135 road underdog while the final score played under the 5.5-goal total.

Calgary is 10-4-1 and has won three straight games. Montreal is 8-9-0.

On the injury front, Calgary’s Curtis Glencross will serve the first of athree-game suspension for a hit on the Rangers’ Chris Drury in Saturday’s game. Flames’ forward Fredrik Sjostrom is listed as day-to-day with a hand injury.

For the Canadiens, defensemen Hal Gill (foot), Andrei Markov (ankle) and Ryan O’Byrne (knee) are all out indefinitely.

Boston is a -170 favorite in Hockey Betting.

If history is any guide, the Habs might be just what the Bruins need to get back on the right track, as they are a dominating 9-1 in the past 10 meetings with the Bruins, including a perfect 5-0 in the past five meetings in Boston.

Over/under wagering fans should note that four of the past five meetings, and six of the past 10, gone over the total.

The teams last squared off on April 22, when the Bruins won 4-1 to sweep their best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series in four games.

In their last game on Tuesday, the Canadiens lost 5-4 to the visiting Atlanta Thrashers, as -145 home favorites.

The Bruins lost 2-0 to the Detroit Red Wings in Detroit on Tuesday.

Montreal is 7-8 this season and Boston is 6-7-1 and has lost two straight.

Bet this game at Sportingbet, where you can get NHL Odds for every game every night.

The Maple Leafs are 5-4-0-1 in the past 10 meetings, seven of which have gone over the total. The teams last met on Oct. 1 this season – the opening day of the 2009-10 NHL campaign, when the Habs edged the Leafs 4-3.

Toronto is 1-7-2 this season while Montreal is 6-6-0. 

The Maple Leafs are coming off a three-game Western road swing on which they picked up their first win of the season, beating the Anaheim Ducks 6-3 last Monday. On Wednesday, Toronto lost 4-3 to the Stars in Dallas.

Montreal lost 6-1 to the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Wednesday. 

On the injury front, Toronto’s Phil Kessel (Out Indefinitely, shoulder surgery), Vesa Toskala (Out Indefinitely, knee injury); Mike Van Ryn (Out Indefinitely, knee surgery) are all out Saturday.

Montreal’s Andrei Markov (Out Indefinitely, ankle injury) and Ryan O’Byrne (Out Indefinitely, knee injury) are also out.

Check out Sportingbet.com for NHL Betting Odds for this Original Six matchup.

The Rangers have had the upper hand over the past 10 meetings between these Eastern Conference rivals, going 6-3-0-1.

This is their first meeting of the 2009-10 season. They last squared off on April 7, 2009, when the Rangers won 3-1 as a -180 home favorite.

The Rangers are 7-3 this season while the Habs are 4-5.

New York lost 4-2 to the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, as -145 home favorites, while the Canadiens beat the New York Islanders 5-1 in their last game Thursday, as -180 home favorites.

New York has no significant injuries heading into this matchup, while Montreal will be missing defensemen Andrei Markov and Ryan O’Byrne.