San Jose Sharks vs. Montréal Canadiens

Quick read:

Let's be clear: you are betting on Montréal to drop two and stay in the building, which is exactly where the body keeps the evidence. San Jose is coming in with a 4-3 record that looks more like a consolation prize than a momentum builder. They are a team that wins when the opponent plays their own level of uninspired hockey, but they are not a team that is going to break a big market in Bell Centre on a Tuesday.

The real issue for the Sharks is fragility. They just got rolled by Toronto, a team that is arguably in a similar transitional phase, which suggests their defense is as sturdy as a wet paper bag hanging on a clothesline. Montréal does not need to outshine them; they just need to be slightly less prone to self-destruction. When a team can't even survive a power-play goal from a guy named McKenna, asking them to cover a two-goal spread in Montreal is like asking a toddler to navigate a busy intersection blindfolded.

The only real risk here is if the Habs goalie decides to have a "creative" night, but even then, San Jose's offense is so threadbare that you need a miracle to bleed two goals out of them. Take the Habs, put the rest of your money on a cold beer, and enjoy the show.