The Montreal Canadiens head south of the border to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday. Both teams dispatched their biggest rival in their respective season openers.
Montreal was one of the best-performing road teams last season, and Pittsburgh opened its season with a 7-0 demolition of Philadelphia.
Read my Canadiens vs. Penguins predictions and NHL picks for Saturday, October 3, ahead of this exciting Eastern Conference matchup.
Canadiens vs Penguins prediction: Canadiens moneyline
The Montreal Canadiens began their 2026-27 campaign with a road win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Habs' 24 road wins in 2025-26 trailed only the Colorado Avalanche, going 1-0-1 in Pittsburgh and 2-0-1 overall against Sidney Crosby and company.
They scored the second-most road goals and had the league's second-best road power play at 28.2%.
The Pittsburgh Penguins finished 18th in home points last season, behind non-playoff teams like the Panthers, Blue Jackets, and Flames.
Montreal's strength away from the Bell Centre and Pittsburgh's mediocre home performance suggest a much more lopsided price than 52%.
COVERS INTEL: The favorite is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings between these teams. These teams are 5-4-1 O/U in their last 10, and the Over hasn't cashed in consecutive meetings since December 2023.
Canadiens vs Penguins combo
Nick Suzuki has recorded an assist in 66% of regular-season games in 2026 -- the sixth-highest clip in the NHL. He had two helpers in three games against the Pens last season.
Yegor Chinakhov has recorded two or more shots on goal in 70.5% of regular-season games in 2026, the fourth-highest clip among Penguins, ahead of Crosby and Erik Karlsson.
His shot volume and point production have increased dramatically since joining the team mid-season.
Both rates, sustained over 40+ games, exceed their current pricing at Novig.
Canadiens vs Penguins combo
- Canadiens to Win (52%)
- Nick Suzuki 1+ Assists (58%)
- Yegor Chinakhov 2+ Shots on Goal (61%)
TOP PICK
Canadiens vs Penguins player prop: Nick Suzuki 1+ Assists
Suzuki has recorded an assist in more games than any other center in the NHL since January 1—narrowly edging out Connor McDavid.
He had two helpers in three games against Pittsburgh last season, and only McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon have produced more games with a helper over the last two seasons.
He's been given a second trigger-happy winger in Chris Kreider to start this season, and it's only a matter of time before the assists start piling up for the Canadiens captain.
Canadiens vs Penguins goal scorer: Cole Caufield (39%)
No player has scored at a higher percentage of games than Cole Caufield in 2026. He's scored 31 goals in his last 35 regular-season games, finding the back of the net in 21.
A 39% price for a guy who has scored in 60% of games since mid-January feels criminal.
He's a lethal part of what was the league's second-ranked road power play last season, and his goal-scoring resume speaks for itself. Oh, and they call him Mr. Saturday Night for good reason.
- Top picks: 0-0, +0.0 units
- Combos: 0-0, +0.0 units
Canadiens vs Penguins odds
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
- Moneyline: Canadiens 52% | Penguins 49%
- Over/Under: Over 6.5 (50%) | Under 6.5 (50%)
- Spread: Canadiens -1.5 (32%) | Penguins +1.5 (69%)
For the full slate of NHL matchups, check out our NHL odds board!
Canadiens vs Penguins trend
The favorite has won eight of these teams' last nine meetings, with Montreal winning two of three last season. Find more NHL betting trends.
How to watch Canadiens vs Penguins
| Location | PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Date | Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | SNE, SN-Pit |
Canadiens vs. Penguins latest injuries
Check out our NHL injuries page for updates on every team.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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