Pittsburgh Penguins vs Montreal Canadiens Picks and Predictions for Saturday, October 31, 2026

Montreal returns home Saturday after winning all four games of its road trip, capped by Thursday's 5-2 victory over Dallas. The Canadiens sit second in the Atlantic Division with 18 points and an 8-3-2 record. Pittsburgh is sixth in the Metropolitan at 5-6-2 with 12 points, having lost 4-3 in overtime to Utah on Thursday. The Penguins did beat Montreal 6-5 in overtime earlier this month, but have managed only one victory in seven road games. Saturday's rematch at Bell Centre begins at 7:00 pm ET on ESPN+. Find your next winner with our free NHL picks for the weekend. 

Pittsburgh Penguins Have Trouble Winning Away From Home

Utah visited Pittsburgh on Thursday and left with a 4-3 overtime victory, ending the Penguins' brief winning streak. Pittsburgh had beaten Nashville 3-2 in overtime last Saturday and blanked Florida 4-0 two nights earlier. Both victories came at home, where the Penguins have enjoyed considerably more success. Their previous trip out west was less productive. Utah beat them 5-4, and Vegas handed Pittsburgh a 6-2 defeat. The Penguins have scored enough to compete in several of those losses, but they've struggled to keep opponents from taking control.

Evgeni Malkin and Nick Robertson have each scored six goals, providing Pittsburgh with two reliable finishers. Erik Karlsson has done much of the creating from defense, collecting 11 assists and 13 points. The Penguins score 3.23 goals per game but concede 3.31, making their own mistakes difficult to overcome. Arturs Silovs has recorded two shutouts and five victories, although his performances have varied considerably. Montreal's recent scoring form means Pittsburgh cannot afford another game where its defensive coverage breaks down, particularly with the Canadiens returning home on a winning streak.

Injuries: Justin Brazeau, Elmer Soderblom, Bryan Rust, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Ryan Graves are out.

Montreal Canadiens Coming Home After Four Road Wins

Montreal's trip began with a 4-1 win in Chicago, but the Canadiens kept getting stronger defensively as the games passed. Winnipeg managed just one goal against them Sunday, and St. Louis couldn't score at all Tuesday. Dallas finally found the net twice Thursday, although Montreal answered with five goals of its own. That 5-2 victory completed a perfect four-game trip. The Canadiens have now won six of their last seven, with their only defeat in that stretch coming against San Jose in overtime.

Cole Caufield has scored eight goals and collected 12 points, matching Nick Suzuki's point total despite the captain's absence. Lane Hutson has eight assists and continues to help Montreal create chances from the blue line. The Canadiens also have a major advantage in goal when Jacob Fowler plays. Fowler owns a 1.54 goals-against average, fourth-best in the NHL, with six wins and two shutouts. Montreal has been defending well around him, allowing only four goals during its current winning streak. Pittsburgh will have to work hard to find space in dangerous areas.

Injuries: Mike Matheson, Nick Suzuki, Sam Montembeault, Ivan Demidov and Bryce Pickford are out.

Key To The Game

Pittsburgh needs to find a way past Fowler, who has given Montreal strong goaltending throughout its winning streak. The Penguins have enough scoring talent to make things interesting, particularly through Malkin and Karlsson. Montreal will look to Caufield for goals, while Hutson can help move the puck into dangerous areas. Pittsburgh's poor road record is another concern, especially against a team returning home after four victories. Special teams could also matter, with the Penguins converting 20% of their power plays compared with Montreal's 10.3%.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Montreal Canadiens Game Pick

• Montreal Canadiens

Montreal has been playing much better defensively, and Fowler gives the Canadiens a major advantage in goal. Pittsburgh has won two of its last three, but Thursday's overtime loss to Utah was another missed opportunity. The Penguins have struggled away from home, where their record stands at 1-5-1. Caufield and Hutson should create enough opportunities for Montreal, particularly if Pittsburgh has trouble protecting its net. The Canadiens also have revenge in mind after October's overtime defeat. I'm taking Montreal to continue its winning streak at home.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Montreal Canadiens Over/Under Pick

• Under

Montreal's recent defensive performances make the under an appealing choice. The Canadiens have allowed just four goals across four consecutive victories, including a shutout against St. Louis. Fowler has been excellent, and Pittsburgh has been less convincing offensively away from home. The Penguins have scoring options, but Montreal has shown it can limit opponents and protect narrow leads. Pittsburgh's own goaltending has also produced two shutouts from Silovs. Saturday could be much tighter than the 6-5 overtime meeting earlier this month. Under is my pick.