Columbus Blue Jackets at Montreal Canadiens NHL Predictions
2023-03-25 • Centre Bell
Montreal Canadiens 8 - 2 Columbus Blue Jackets
📊 Pre-Game Predictions
Win Probability
MTL: 61.5%
CBJ: 38.5%
Expected Goals
MTL: 3.32
CBJ: 2.02
Total Goals
Median: 6.4
Over 5.5: 67%
Over 6.5: 49%
🥅 Goalie Matchup
MTL
Samuel Montembeault - 6-6-1 | 0.863 SV% | 3.52 GAA
CBJ
Elvis Merzlikins - 6-6-1 | 0.877 SV% | 4.04 GAA
| Stat | MTL | CBJ |
|---|---|---|
| Season SV% | 0.863 | 0.877 |
| Last 5 SV% | — | — |
| SV% vs Opponent | — | — |
| GAA | 3.52 | 4.04 |
Last 5 / vs opponent shown when available in goalie stats. Confirmed goalie row used when available; otherwise current projected starter is shown.
Goalie Game Metrics
| Team | Goalie | SA | Saves | GA | SV% | xGA | HD Faced | GSAx |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTL | Samuel Montembeault | 23 | 21 | 2 | 91.3% | 1.77 | 0 | -0.23 |
| CBJ | Elvis Merzlikins | 32 | 24 | 8 | 75.0% | 2.96 | 2 | -5.04 |
SA uses shots on goal plus goals. xGA, high-danger faced, and GSAx use modeled scoring attempts against. GSAx is xGA minus goals against.
Head-to-Head History
Model accuracy in this matchup: 40% • MTL at home vs CBJ: 5-3
| Date | Score | Winner | Model Pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-11 | MTL 2 - 5 CBJ | CBJ | CBJ |
| 2026-03-26 | MTL 2 - 1 CBJ | MTL | CBJ |
| 2025-11-17 | CBJ 4 - 3 MTL | CBJ | MTL |
| 2024-12-23 | CBJ 5 - 4 MTL | CBJ | MTL |
| 2024-11-27 | CBJ 3 - 4 MTL | MTL | CBJ |
Shot Quality by Period
| Period | Team | Shots | High Danger | xG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MTL | 12 | 0 | 0.53 |
| 1 | CBJ | 14 | 0 | 0.72 |
| 2 | MTL | 20 | 2 | 1.55 |
| 2 | CBJ | 6 | 0 | 0.41 |
| 3 | MTL | 13 | 0 | 0.88 |
| 3 | CBJ | 10 | 0 | 0.64 |
Shots are modeled attempts: shots on goal, goals, and missed shots. Blocked shots are excluded. High danger is xG >= 0.20.
📈 Post-Game Analysis
Prediction Result
✅ Correct
Confidence: 61.5%
Total Goals
Actual: 10.0
Expected: 5.3
Score Breakdown
Montreal Canadiens 8 - 2 Columbus Blue Jackets
Expected: 3.3 - 2.0
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