Montreal Canadiens vs Dallas Stars Picks and Predictions for Thursday, October 29, 2026
Both teams played Tuesday, but only Montreal came away with a win. The Canadiens shut out St. Louis 2-0 for their third straight victory, improving to 7-3-2 and second in the Atlantic Division with 16 points. Dallas had a much tougher night, losing 5-1 to New Jersey. The Stars are 7-4-1, third in the Central Division with 15 points. Thursday's meeting is at American Airlines Center, with the game starting at 8:00 pm ET on ESPN+. Montreal has won four road games, while Dallas has four home victories. Browse our free NHL picks for more games.
Montreal Canadiens Enjoying Life on the Road
Three cities, three victories and only two goals conceded. That's how Montreal's latest road trip has gone. The Canadiens won 4-1 in Chicago on Friday, squeezed past Winnipeg 2-1 on Sunday and shut out St. Louis 2-0 Tuesday. They've collected six points without needing more than four goals in any of those games. Before leaving home, Montreal had beaten Buffalo 4-3 in overtime and lost to San Jose by the same score. The Canadiens have taken points from all five of their latest outings.
Jacob Fowler has been excellent between the pipes. He's won six of his seven decisions, recorded two shutouts and stopped 94.2% of the shots he's faced. That gives Montreal a major advantage when games stay close. Cole Caufield has scored six times, while defenseman Lane Hutson has three goals and seven assists. The Canadiens are without Nick Suzuki, who collected 12 points in nine appearances before going out. Montreal has scored 36 goals this season, although the power play has produced only four.
Injuries: Nick Suzuki, Sam Montembeault, Ivan Demidov, Bryce Pickford and Lucas Condotta are out.
Dallas Stars Coming Off a Rare Defensive Collapse
New Jersey scored five times against Dallas on Tuesday, more than any other opponent had managed against the Stars this season. The 5-1 defeat ended a four-game winning streak that included a 4-0 shutout at Chicago. Dallas also beat Boston and Winnipeg in overtime before putting six goals past the Islanders on Sunday. The Stars had allowed just seven goals across those four victories, so Tuesday was an unwelcome change. Dallas now gets another opportunity at home against a Montreal team that has been difficult to beat lately.
Jake Oettinger has played a major role in Dallas allowing only 24 goals through 12 games. He owns six wins, three shutouts and a .929 save percentage, with a 1.43 goals-against average. Mikko Rantanen leads the Stars with 14 points, scoring six goals and assisting on eight. Jason Robertson has five goals and eight assists, while Roope Hintz has reached 10 points. Dallas has also been remarkably good when playing shorthanded, killing 92.9% of opposing power plays. Montreal's struggling power play could find that particularly frustrating.
Injuries: Esa Lindell, Radek Faksa, Sam Steel and Oskar Back are out. Kyle Capobianco is day-to-day.
Key To The Game
The goaltending matchup stands out here. Fowler has allowed just 11 goals in seven appearances, while Oettinger has surrendered 13 across nine. Neither club can count on many easy scoring opportunities if those two start. Montreal has been better at finishing lately, but Dallas allows only 22.2 shots per game. The Canadiens also have to overcome Suzuki's absence. Dallas should have opportunities through Rantanen and Robertson, although Montreal's recent defensive performances suggest they'll have to work for them.
Montreal Canadiens vs Dallas Stars Game Pick
- Montreal Canadiens
Dallas deserves respect for winning four straight before Tuesday, but Montreal's current form is difficult to ignore. The Canadiens have allowed just two goals across three consecutive road victories, and Fowler has been excellent. Oettinger could certainly make this a difficult evening for Montreal's forwards. Still, the Stars scored only once against New Jersey, and Montreal has recently handled several close contests without needing much offense. Suzuki's absence is a concern, but I like the Canadiens to continue their winning streak with another narrow victory.
Montreal Canadiens vs Dallas Stars Over/Under Pick
- Under
Three straight Montreal games have produced three goals or fewer, and Dallas has been involved in several tight contests itself. The Stars beat Boston and Winnipeg by identical 3-2 scores before their six-goal performance against the Islanders. Fowler and Oettinger have both been outstanding, and neither team offers much space defensively. Dallas also kills penalties at a 92.9% rate, which could limit Montreal's scoring chances. I expect both goaltenders to have a major say in Thursday's result. The under is my preferred play.