Montreal Canadiens vs Los Angeles Kings Picks and Predictions for Saturday March 7 2026

By: Kim Smith Published 03/07/2026, 01:05 AM ET

The Montreal Canadiens head to California to face the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 PM puck drop and will be broadcast on ESPN+. At the time of this writing the odds were not released for the moneyline, total, or puck line. For more analysis on today’s NHL games, be sure to check out our free NHL picks for expert betting insight.

Montreal Canadiens Bringing High-Powered Offense

The Montreal Canadiens come into this matchup with a 33-18-9 record overall and have been impressive away from home with a 16-7-7 road record. Montreal has gone 2-3 in their last five games, recently losing to San Jose 7-5 and dropping a tight overtime contest against the Islanders 4-3. They also suffered another overtime loss to Minnesota 4-3, but picked up strong wins over Washington 6-2 and Winnipeg 5-1.

Montreal has one of the more explosive offenses in the league, averaging 3.52 goals per game. They do allow 3.27 goals per game, which leads to plenty of high-scoring contests. The Canadiens average 26.4 shots per game while allowing 27.4 shots against.

Special teams have been a key weapon for Montreal this season. Their power play has scored 43 goals and operates at an impressive 24.7% conversion rate. While the penalty kill sits at 76.5%, the Canadiens have been able to offset defensive lapses thanks to their offensive firepower.

Subscribe Now

I authorize Picks And Parlays to send me promotional emails

I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. I have read and accepted the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. I consent that Picks And Parlays may use third-party services to process my data.

Terms & Conditions

Another notable aspect of Montreal’s game is their ability to capitalize on momentum swings. They have scored seven short-handed goals this season and have not allowed a short-handed goal, showing their aggressive penalty kill can create scoring opportunities.

Los Angeles Kings Trying to Find Consistency

The Los Angeles Kings enter this game with a 25-22-14 record overall and have struggled somewhat at home with a 10-14-7 record at Crypto.com Arena. The Kings have gone 2-3 in their last five games, recently winning over the New York Islanders 5-3 and shutting out Calgary 2-0. However, they also lost to Colorado 4-2, Edmonton 8-1, and Vegas 6-4.

Offensively, Los Angeles averages 2.52 goals per game while allowing 2.88 goals against per contest. They generate 27.4 shots per game and allow the exact same number defensively, showing their games often stay fairly balanced in terms of possession.

Special teams have been a challenge for the Kings this season. They have scored 29 power play goals with a 16.8% success rate while allowing 47 power play goals against. Their penalty kill sits at 75.3%, which has put additional pressure on their goaltending throughout the year.

Despite the struggles, Los Angeles has shown flashes of strong defensive play, particularly in their shutout victory over Calgary. When their defensive structure holds up, the Kings can slow down high-powered offenses.

Montreal Canadiens vs Los Angeles Kings Pick

Pick: Montreal Canadiens Moneyline

Montreal’s offense has been one of the most dangerous units in the league this season. The Canadiens average over three and a half goals per game and have been strong on the road. Meanwhile, Los Angeles has struggled at home and their penalty kill has been inconsistent. With Montreal’s power play operating at nearly 25%, that could be the deciding factor in this matchup.

Montreal Canadiens vs Los Angeles Kings Total Pick

Pick: Over

I expect this game to feature a fair amount of scoring opportunities. Montreal plays in many high-scoring games due to their offensive style and defensive inconsistencies. The Kings have allowed some big offensive performances recently, including the eight goals they surrendered to Edmonton. With Montreal pushing the pace, I see this game finishing over the total.

Final Score Prediction: Montreal Canadiens 5, Los Angeles Kings 3

This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Friday.