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NHL PicksThu 7:00 PM ET
Nashville Predators logo
Nashville
Predators
1-1-0
versus
Montreal Canadiens logo
Montreal
Canadiens
1-0-1
NHL · NAS at MON

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Nashville Predators vs Montreal Canadiens Predictions October 8, 2026

Game time: October 8, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET

Venue: Bell Centre — Montreal, QC

Article updated Oct 7, 7:34 AM EDT

By SportsJaw Editorial Team

The Montreal Canadiens will beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 in our October 8 forecast, with home ice providing a slight separator after both teams scored four goals while surrendering leads in their latest losses. Neither the puck line nor Over 5.5 (-133) offers a convincing betting edge from those results alone. The official recommendation is Pass, with low confidence in the Montreal pick.

Nashville Predators vs Montreal Canadiens prediction and best bet

Montreal is the straight-up pick, but the best betting decision is Pass. Nashville's inability to protect two multi-goal advantages against Toronto creates an opening for the Canadiens. Montreal's own collapse against Carolina keeps that advantage narrow and makes an aggressive endorsement of the home favorite difficult.

The distinction matters at these prices. Picking Montreal to win does not automatically justify asking it to cover -1.5 (+122). Similarly, projecting seven goals is a plausible game forecast, but two high-scoring losses are too small a foundation for declaring Over 5.5 (-133) a value bet.

Odds, game time and how to watch

Game time: Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 7 p.m. Montreal local time. This is a 2026-27 NHL matchup with Nashville visiting Montreal.

Venue: Bell Centre, Montreal, QC.

Broadcast: ESPN+.

SportsJaw moneyline odds: Nashville Predators +167; Montreal Canadiens -167.

SportsJaw puck line: Nashville Predators +1.5 (-186); Montreal Canadiens -1.5 (+122).

SportsJaw total: Over 5.5 (-133); Under 5.5 (+113).

Nashville Predators outlook

Nashville lost 5-4 in overtime at Toronto on October 6 after holding leads of 3-0 and 4-2 during the second period. The Predators generated enough offense to put themselves in command, making their failure to finish the game the more relevant concern entering Montreal.

Steven Stamkos and Nils Hoglander each scored twice. Roman Josi extended his season-opening point streak to three games, adding another encouraging individual contribution beyond the two goal scorers. That production is the strongest reason to expect Nashville to challenge Montreal rather than fade from the matchup.

Juuse Saros stopped a 3-on-0 chance in overtime before Auston Matthews scored the winner with fewer than 15 seconds remaining. His involvement in that game should not be treated as confirmation of Thursday's starter. Montreal is the next stop on Nashville's three-game trip.

Montreal Canadiens outlook

Montreal's October 6 home opener ended in a 6-4 loss to Carolina. A 3-2 lead after the first period became a deficit when the Hurricanes scored three unanswered goals in the second. The Canadiens' immediate challenge is sustaining their play beyond a productive opening period.

Zachary Bolduc scored twice, with Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky supplying the other goals. Having three players contribute goals gives Montreal a recent offensive positive to carry into this game, although one performance is no measure of how consistently that scoring will continue.

Jakub Dobes made 28 saves against Carolina. That result raises questions about Montreal's ability to control a game, but the final score alone cannot assign responsibility between the goaltender and the skaters. The home setting supplies a modest reason to favor Montreal, not a convincing case for a comfortable victory.

Key matchup factors

Protecting a lead is the central matchup issue. Both clubs recently turned promising positions into losses, so an early advantage would offer limited reassurance in this forecast. Nashville's larger cushions make its Toronto result particularly frustrating; Montreal's three-goal second-period concession shows a similar risk of losing control quickly.

Both teams last played October 6. Nashville's overtime finish adds context, but it is not enough to predict a meaningful fatigue disadvantage on October 8. The forecast rests more heavily on competitive scoring potential and Montreal's home setting.

The biggest uncertainty is whether those defensive breakdowns repeat. Treating one game from each team as a stable scoring trend would overstate the evidence behind either a multi-goal victory or a total wager.

Nashville Predators vs Montreal Canadiens spread prediction

Spread recommendation: Pass on Nashville Predators +1.5 (-186) and Montreal Canadiens -1.5 (+122). The projected one-goal margin favors Nashville's cushion, but -186 demands considerable confidence that the Predators can stay within one or win outright.

Montreal's +122 return requires a victory by at least two goals. Its latest defensive performance leaves too much uncertainty to recommend that margin. Neither side's price becomes attractive simply because the other has weaknesses.

Nashville Predators vs Montreal Canadiens total prediction

Total recommendation: Pass on Over 5.5 (-133) and Under 5.5 (+113). The nine combined goals in Nashville's latest game and ten in Montreal's make the Over tempting, and the projected score points in that direction.

The price still matters. Over -133 requires more confidence than these isolated results warrant. Under +113 offers a positive return, but expecting an immediate defensive improvement would also be speculative. The scoring forecast is clearer than the case for wagering on either total.

Nashville Predators vs Montreal Canadiens projected score

Game forecast: Montreal Canadiens 4, Nashville Predators 3. Montreal receives the narrow nod at home, with low confidence. Nashville's recent offensive contributions and Montreal's failure to hold its own lead are the strongest counterarguments.

A close Montreal victory remains the call. Both puck-line sides and both total directions are passes at the supplied prices. The single official SportsJaw betting recommendation is Pass.

SportsJawGame Predictions
Predicted score

NAS3

MON4

Projected winner Montreal CanadiensConfidenceSlight Lean — Nashville Predators
Pick on the Spread

Slight Lean — Nashville Predators +1.5

Editorial pick at publication: Pass on Nashville Predators +1.5 (-186) and Montreal Canadiens -1.5 (+122)

Pick on the Total

Slight Lean — Over 5.5

Editorial pick at publication: Pass on Over 5.5 (-133) and Under 5.5 (+113)

Sources

  • Nashville PredatorsPrevious-game context: Preds Start Roadtrip With Overtime Loss to Maple Leafs
  • Montreal CanadiensPrevious-game context: CAR@MTL: Game recap

SportsJaw Predators vs Canadiens game preview analysis and predictions incorporate current odds, injury reports, team statistics and market data. Information is updated regularly, but lines and player availability can change. Please confirm current information before wagering. View history of past Predators vs Canadiens matchups or learn how our predictions work.

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