The Edmonton Oilers (15-11-6) roll into Montreal riding a three-game win streak, facing off against the Canadiens (16-11-4) in a classic Original Six vs. Original Expansion showdown at the Bell Centre. Edmonton’s dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl has fueled a recent offensive surge, but Montreal’s young core—led by Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield—counters with home-ice energy and a knack for high-event games. Injuries have thinned both blue lines, potentially opening lanes for transition chaos, while goaltending (Stuart Skinner vs. Sam Montembeault) will be key in a matchup trending toward overs. Faceoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The 21,105-seat arena, opened in 1996 and renovated in 2015, has been a mixed bag for the Canadiens this season (7-8-1 home), where they’ve averaged 3.2 GPG but allowed 3.4.Broadcast coverage includes NHL Network (national), Sportsnet West (for Oilers fans), and RDS/TSN2 (for Canadiens fans), with streaming on ESPN+ and Sportsnet+.
Team Records and Standings
| Team | Overall Record | Home/Away Split | Conference/Division Rank | PK% / PP% |
| Edmonton Oilers | 15-11-6 | 8-5-3 Home / 7-6-3 Away | 7th Pacific (36 pts) | 78.4% / 24.2% |
| Montreal Canadiens | 16-11-4 | 7-8-1 Home / 9-3-3 Away | 10th Atlantic (36 pts) | 81.5% / 19.8% |
Edmonton sits on the Pacific playoff bubble, outscoring opponents by 0.3 goals per game. Montreal holds a wild-card spot in the Atlantic, blending youth with grit but plagued by defensive inconsistencies (3.4 GA/GP, 22nd league-wide).
Recent Team Forms
Edmonton’s streak features explosive scoring (6.3 GPG last 3), while Montreal’s losses expose third-period fades (3.0 GA in final frames last 5). The Canadiens’ home PK (85.2%) shines, but turnovers (12.6/game) feed Edmonton’s rush.
Edmonton Oilers Last 5 Games:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats (Oilers) |
| Dec. 13 | @ TOR | W 6-3 | 37 SOG, 1/3 PP, 2.45 xGA |
| Dec. 11 | vs. DET | W 4-1 | 29 SOG, 0/2 PP, 1.92 xGA |
| Dec. 9 | vs. BUF | L 3-4 OT | 30 SOG, 2/4 PP, 3.12 xGF |
| Dec. 6 | vs. WPG | W 6-2 | 27 SOG, 1/2 PP, 3.45 xGF |
| Dec. 4 | vs. SEA | W 9-4 | 32 SOG, 4/5 PP, 4.56 xGA |
Form Summary: 4-1-0. Averaging 5.6 GPG while allowing 2.8 GPG. Power play heats up (33.3% last 5), with McDavid’s line (2.1 pts/60) dominating; road form solid (3-0-0 last 3 away).
Montreal Canadiens Last 5 Games:
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats (Canadiens) |
| Dec. 13 | vs. NYR | L 4-5 OT | 35 SOG, 1/3 PP, 3.12 xGF |
| Dec. 11 | @ PIT | W 4-2 | 29 SOG, 1/4 PP, 2.18 xGA |
| Dec. 9 | vs. TBL | L 1-6 | 27 SOG, 1/4 PP, 1.92 xGA |
| Dec. 7 | vs. STL | L 3-4 | 26 SOG, 0/2 PP, 2.45 xGA |
| Dec. 6 | @ TOR | W 2-1 SO | 32 SOG, 0/3 PP, 3.45 xGF |
Form Summary: 1-3-1. Averaging 2.8 GPG but yielding 3.6 GPG. Home splits even (1-2-0), with Caufield’s sniping (3 G last 3) masking defensive woes (42.1% opponent eFG%).
Injury Report
Backend battles intensify with key defensemen sidelined, forcing rookie minutes and potential mismatches. Edmonton’s forward depth holds, but Montreal’s center corps thins further.
Edmonton Oilers Injuries:
| Player | Status | Injury Details |
| Connor Clattenburg | Out (IR) | Eye (Expected Dec. 18) |
| Jake Walman | Out (IR-LT) | Lower Body (Expected Dec. 27) |
| Jack Roslovic | Out (IR) | Undisclosed (Expected Dec. 23) |
| Kasperi Kapanen | Out (IR-LT) | Lower Body (Expected Dec. 23) |
| Noah Philp | Out (IR-LT) | Upper Body (Expected Dec. 16) |
Montreal Canadiens Injuries:
| Player | Status | Injury Details |
| Kirby Dach | Out (IR) | Foot (Expected Dec. 28) |
| Alex Newhook | Out (IR) | Ankle (Expected Feb. 28) |
| Patrik Laine | Out (IR) | Abdomen (Expected Feb. 28) |
| Kaiden Guhle | Out (IR) | Lower Body (8-10 weeks) |
| Jake Evans | Day-to-Day | Personal |
Walman’s absence (10 P in 17 GP) hurts Edmonton’s right side; Dach out (limited minutes) burdens Suzuki’s line.
Key Player Matchups
Injuries spotlight forwards: Edmonton’s speed overwhelms Montreal’s depleted D (No. 25 in opponent rush goals). Canadiens’ cycle tests Oilers’ transitions.
Connor McDavid (EDM, 0.92 pts/game) vs. Nick Suzuki (MTL, 0.77 pts/game): McDavid’s rush (33 A) exploits Suzuki’s two-way (49.6% FO); Suzuki (28 A) wins draws but gaps vs. elite speed. Edge: McDavid—multi-point lock, over 1.5 pts prop.
Leon Draisaitl (EDM, 1.34 pts/game) vs. Cole Caufield (MTL, 1.06 pts/game): Draisaitl’s net-front (17 G) bullies Caufield’s positioning; Caufield’s shot (86 SOG) tests doubles. Edge: Draisaitl—expect GWG, over 0.5 pts.
Evan Bouchard (EDM, 0.90 pts/game) vs. Lane Hutson (MTL, 0.71 pts/game): Bouchard’s QB (24 A) vs. Hutson’s mobility (rookie D); Hutson distributes but inexperienced. Edge: Bouchard—over 0.5 pts on PP.
Stuart Skinner (EDM, .908 SV%) vs. Sam Montembeault (MTL, .912 SV%): Skinner’s rebound control (0.92/60) vs. Montembeault’s high-danger (.88 SV%); home crowd aids MTL. Edge: Montembeault—over 28 saves.
Bonus Watch: Ivan Demidov (MTL rookie, 24 P) sparks second line vs. Edmonton’s third pair.
Series History
Edmonton holds the edge all-time (57-49-4), winning four straight recent meetings with offensive firepower (avg. 5.0 GPG). Last clash (Oct. 23, 2025: EDM 6-5 MTL) was a thriller; unders rare (O 4/5 last 5).
Last 5 Head-to-Head Meetings:
| Date | Result | Key Notes |
| Oct. 23, 2025 | EDM 6-5 MTL | McDavid 2G, 2A; O 11 total |
| Mar. 6, 2025 | EDM 3-2 MTL | Draisaitl GWG; U 5.5 |
| Nov. 18, 2024 | EDM 3-0 MTL | Skinner shutout; defensive duel |
| Mar. 19, 2024 | EDM 3-2 MTL | Bouchard OT winner |
| Feb. 12, 2023 | MTL 6-2 EDM | Canadiens’ last win; outlier |
Trend: Oilers 4-1 SU, averaging 4.2 GPG. Edmonton 4-1 ATS as favorites; overs in 4/5 at Bell Centre.
Betting Trends
Puck Line: Edmonton 6-4 ATS as road favorites; Montreal 5-5 ATS as home dogs.
Total: Oilers games hit Over in 55% (17/31); Canadiens in 52% (16/31), series favors Over.
Game Odds
Edmonton Oilers – 130
Montreal Canadiens 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, December 13, 2025
