Hurricanes vs. Canadiens Game 3: Prediction & Best Bets

Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens head to the Bell Centre for the first time this series for an 8 pm ET puck drop on Monday night as the Eastern Conference Final presses on with Game 3 in an already tight 1-1 series.

The Canes notched a crucial 3-2 OT win in Game 2 to level the series before heading to Montreal territory for the next two games.

Game 1 saw Carolina get crushed 6-2 on home ice after conceding a 4-1 lead in the first period and allowing two unanswered in the final period. However, the Canes rallied for Game 2 as Nikolaj Ehlers netted his second of the night in OT to seal an important victory.

Montreal was certainly content with their first result of this series of the NHL Playoffs, seeing five different goal scorers make it onto the sheet, with Juraj Slafkovsky leading the way by scoring the final two goals of the game in the third.

Game 2 may be harder to shake for the Canadiens, as they carried the momentum after Josh Anderson netted his second of the game to tie it up in the third period. Ultimately, the Canes finished out strong with the game-winner just three and a half minutes into OT.

Hurricanes vs. Canadiens Game 3 betting picks and predictions

Montreal Canadiens +1.5 (-220)

The Canes tasted defeat for the first time this postseason with the Game 1 loss, but they have still won nine out of 10 of their playoff matchups up to this point. They have not, however, covered the -1.5 spread yet against the Canadiens.

A Canadiens +1.5 spread looks a logical viable choice as they have been the only side this postseason to put six goals past the Canes, and have covered a +1.5 puckline in 14 out of 16 of their playoff games, as well as the last three straight.

Over 5.5 (-130)

The Canadiens have now seen three of their last five games conclude with eight goals or more, while they have scored an average of four goals a game over their last five.

The Hurricanes' have averaged more than three goals a game over their last seven in the playoffs and with Game 3 taking place at the Bell Centre, the chances look good for this crucial clash to pass a relatively low total.

Logan Stankoven to score any time (+205)

Logan Stankoven, who accumulated 44-points during the regular season, has already scored seven goals in the postseason, three clear of his nearest challengers for the Canes lead. However, it has been three games since he last scored and has yet to register a point in this series.

Based on his consistency against both the Senators and Flyers, he will be desperate to come good in this series and be the driving force for Carolina's push to reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

Stankoven scored in both road games against Ottawa Senators before lighting the lamp in the Game 4 win in Philadelphia, so hostile territory has not been a problem for him so far and he looks good value for an eighth postseason goal on Monday night.

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Hurricanes vs. Canadiens Game 3 odds

Carolina Hurricanes	-135
Montreal Canadiens	+115
Puck Line	CAR Hurricanes -1.5
Total	O/U 5.5

Hurricanes vs. Canadiens Game 3 player props

Cole Caufield (MTL Canadiens)	+165
Logan Stankoven (CAR Hurricanes)	+205
Andrei Svechnikov (CAR Hurricanes)	+210
Seth Jarvis (CAR Hurricanes)	+210
Sebastian Antero Aho (CAR Hurricanes)	+210
Juraj Slafkovsky (MTL Canadiens)	+220

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.