Senators Home-Ice Favorites Over Canadiens in Saturday NHL Picks

What: Saturday NHL Picks
Who: Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators
When: Saturday, February 22, 7:00 p.m.

The NHL picks are showing that both the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens are wallowing in the midst of the doldrums. As they get ready to face each other on Saturday, the Canadiens and Senators are skidding through similar three-game losing streaks.

Six points out of a playoff spot and seven points behind Ottawa, Montreal can ill-afford to lose this game if postseason play is a goal. However, oddsmakers don't see it happening. It's the Senators who are set as -170 home ice favorites in this game.

Let's look at the latest betting line on this game. Odds are subject to change.

	Puck Line	Moneyline	Total
Montreal Canadiens	-1.5 (+140)	+151	O 5.5 (-125)
Ottawa Senators	+1.5 (-166)	-170	U 5.5 (+109)

The Canadiens have lost three of their last four road games. Ottawa has won five in a row at home.

There are 14 NHL games on the agenda during a busy Saturday night of action, as the league returns from the two-week break for the 4 Nations Face-Off. This is one of the games that we think provides the best bets of the night in the NHL picks.

Best NHL Picks For You

Before we make a deeper assessment of Saturday's Canadiens vs Senators NHL picks and best bets, why not take a look at our handy NHL betting guide to see where the best NHL betting odds and picks are located, including the latest props and futures wagering. As well, these online sportsbook reviews will also aid in helping you decipher which betting site is the one that's going to service your NHL betting needs on a comprehensive basis. And if you're someone who is living life on the move, these are the best sports betting apps that can help you get your NHL bets down in the midst of your busy day.

Canadiens vs Senators Betting Trends

The Canadiens were 4-1 home-ice winners over the Senators on Oct. 12. That ended a nine-game straight up losing streak for Montreal against Ottawa. The Canadiens are 0-5 SU in their last five visits to Ottawa.

Overall, Montreal is 1-8 SU through the club's past nine games. Offering a more positive outlook, the Canadiens are 8-4 SU in their past 12 road games.

Ottawa is coming home from a 1-3 SU road trip. The Senators' current three-game skid comes on the heels of a five-game win streak. Ottawa is 2-6 SU in the last eight games against Atlantic Division opposition.

The NHL picks show that four of the last six games between Ottawa and Montreal have gone over on the total. At Ottawa, eight of the last 13 games against Montreal have gone under.

Three of Montreal's last four games have gone over. The last 15 road games played by the Canadiens show the total split right down the middle at 6-6-3.

Each of Ottawa's last six games have gone over. Four of the last five games the Senators have played against Eastern Conference teams also went over, as have four of the past six games when Ottawa was facing Atlantic Division squads.

Ottawa is 14-12-4 SU as a betting favorite this season. The Senators are 9-16 against the puck line as a home game. On the road, Montreal is 14-13 against the puck line. The Canadiens are 22-28-5 SU as the underdog in the betting line.

Break Doesn't Heal Hurting Senators

Ottawa was missing forwards Shane Pinto and Josh Norris in the latter stages of pre-break action. Unfortunately for Ottawa's it appears the two-week hiatus for the 4 Nations Face-Off hasn't offered enough time off to get either player healed up in time to play in this game.

Back at it at CTC 👊#GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/pr0Au8eTmq

— Ottawa Senators (@Senators) February 19, 2025

Norris suffered a mid-body injury Feb. 1 against the Minnesota Wild that forced him to miss the four-game road trip before the break. Pinto suffered an upper-body injury on Feb. 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning and missed two games.

Norris is second on the Senators with 19 goals. Pinto has scored 11 goals.

Ottawa recalled forward Cole Reinhardt from its American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville. That makes it seem even more unlikely that either Norris or Pinto will be ready for this game.

Canadiens Season Slip-Sliding Away

There was palpable excitement in Montreal when the Canadiens went on a 13-4 run in December and January. Might the playoffs be a realistic goal for the Habs?

Contents de vous revoir, les gars!

Good to see you again, boys!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/xCGxpYBpQP

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) February 18, 2025

The gleam on that dream quickly faded. Since Jan. 21, the Canadiens are 1-7-1 in the NHL picks. They've allowed four or more goals in seven of those nine games. Meanwhile, Montreal has scored two or fewer goals in five of the nine games and have been shutout twice in that span.

The Canadiens are missing two forwards. Emil Heineman (upper-body injury) has been out since he was struck by a car while walking on Jan. 14. Michael Pezzetta is out with a lower-body injury. He is listed as day to day.

Montreal vs Ottawa NHL Picks

If you're a poker player, there's a lot of five of a kinds leaning Ottawa's way in this matchup to assemble a winning hand. Ottawa has won five in a row on home ice. The Canadiens are 0-5 SU in their last five trips to Ottawa.

Ottawa Senators To defeat Montreal Canadiens