bayesRatings

Blackhawks at Canadiens

NHL · Thursday, Dec 18 · 6:00 PM CT · Bell Centre · Final CHI 1 – MTL 4

Final Box Score

from the game summary
Team123T
CHI1001
MTL1034
Team box
CHI·MTL
15
shots
35
0 of 2
power play
0 of 2
34.0
faceoff %
66.0
14
hits
21
8
blocked shots
13
4
penalty minutes
4
Top performers
PlayerTeamGASOG
Lane HutsonMTL031
Zack BolducMTL202
Nick SuzukiMTL112
Frank NazarCHI102
Noah DobsonMTL102
Ivan DemidovMTL015
Goalies
GoalieTeamSASVSV%
Spencer KnightCHI3431.912
Jakub DobesMTL1514.933

For context, not in our forecast.

Game Flow

score margin
MTL +3
CHI +3
P1P2P3
largest lead: MTL 3 · CHI 1lead changes: 1

For context, not in our forecast.

Final · our forecast was CHI 40%, MTL 60% · Updated Dec 18, 2025

Expected margin
MTL by 0.6
Expected score
MTL 3.7 – 3.1 CHI
Expected total
6.8
BlackhawksThe matchupCanadiens
+148Our fair odds−148
3.1Expected goals3.7
−0.31Power rating−0.08
2.8Goals / game3.2
3.1Allowed / game3.5
25.5Shots / game25.2
46.4Faceoff %49.4
17.4Hits / game21.2
13−20Season record17−16
3−7Last 104−6

Prediction markets

Kalshi · Polymarket US · ProphetX · Novig
CHI chance · MTL chance
Our model fair40.3%59.7%
Kalshino two-sided price
Polymarket USno two-sided price
ProphetXno two-sided price
Novigno two-sided price
Full price table
TeamOur modelfairKalshi Polymarket US ProphetX Novig 
Moneyline
CHIChicago Blackhawks+14840%————
MTLMontreal Canadiens−14860%————
SpreadMTL by 0.6
CHIChicago Blackhawks+0.6our margin————
MTLMontreal Canadiens−0.6our margin————
Totalwe expect 6.8
Over6.8our total————
Under6.8our total————

These are each venue’s last prices before the start (Kalshi’s moneyline: its pre-game close). Odds are the price to buy that side now, taker fee included; the small percent is the implied chance of that same price. Highlighted is the best price in the row among venues on the same line. — means not listed (hover or tap for why). A market price is not the true chance of winning.

Margin range

Montreal Canadiens by 0.6 expected
Chicago Blackhawks by 7 goals: <1%Chicago Blackhawks by 6 goals: <1%Chicago Blackhawks by 5 goals: 1%Chicago Blackhawks by 4 goals: 4%Chicago Blackhawks by 3 goals: 9%Chicago Blackhawks by 2 goals: 8%Chicago Blackhawks by 1 goal: 18%Montreal Canadiens by 1 goal: 22%Montreal Canadiens by 2 goals: 11%Montreal Canadiens by 3 goals: 14%Montreal Canadiens by 4 goals: 8%Montreal Canadiens by 5 goals: 3%Montreal Canadiens by 6 goals: 1%Montreal Canadiens by 7 goals: <1%
← CHI wins byMTL wins by →
Montreal Canadiens wins by 2 or more38%
Montreal Canadiens wins by 3 or more27%
Chicago Blackhawks wins by 2 or more22%
Decided by one goal40%

Centered on the expected margin above; shape from each team's expected goals, with ties after regulation settled as one-goal games, matched to 7,066 past NHL games.

Total range

6.8 expected
1 goals: 1%2 goals: 1%3 goals: 8%4 goals: 7%5 goals: 18%6 goals: 11%7 goals: 20%8 goals: 9%9 goals: 12%10 goals: 5%11 goals: 5%12 goals: 2%13 goals: 1%14 goals: <1%
Total goals, both teams
Total over 5.565%
Total over 6.554%
Total over 7.535%
Total from 6 to 730%

Centered on the expected total above; shape from each team's expected goals, with ties after regulation settled as one-goal games, matched to 7,066 past NHL games.

Starting Goalies

from the box score
CHISpencer Knight G · last 5 starts: .902 save %, 2.63 GAAstarted
MTLJakub Dobes G · last 5 starts: .891 save %, 2.94 GAAstarted

Starting goalies are part of our forecast.

Rest and Schedule

before this game
CHI·MTL
Dec 16, 2025 at TOR
last game
Dec 16, 2025 vs PHI
1 day
days of rest
1 day
no
back-to-back
no
3
games in last 7 days
4
2nd straight road game
home / road
3rd straight home game

For context, not in our forecast.

Team Comparison

2025–26 season · box-score averages from 33+ games
CHI·MTL
−0.31
rating (0 = average)
−0.08
2.8
goals / game
3.2
3.1
goals allowed / game
3.5
13−20
season record
17−16
7−9
home record
8−10
6−11
away record
9−6
L3
streak
L1
3−7
last 10
4−6
25.5
shots / game
25.2
46.4
faceoff %
49.4
17.4
hits / game
21.2
12.6
blocked shots / game
16.5
5.1
takeaways / game
4.2
16.5
giveaways / game
13.7

Rating Trend

CHI · MTL · 65 days
Chicago BlackhawksMontreal Canadiens
Rating (0 = average team)

Head to Head

last 9 meetings · MTL 5−4
Oct 11, 2025at CHIMTL 3 − 2
Apr 14, 2025at MTLCHI 4 − 3 SO
Jan 3, 2025at CHICHI 4 − 2
Dec 22, 2023at CHIMTL 5 − 2
Oct 14, 2023at MTLMTL 3 − 2
Feb 14, 2023at MTLMTL 4 − 0
Nov 25, 2022at CHIMTL 3 − 2 SO
Jan 13, 2022at CHICHI 3 − 2 OT
Dec 9, 2021at MTLCHI 2 − 0

CHI · Last 10

3−7 · streak L3
Dec 16, 2025at TOR2 − 3L
Dec 13, 2025vs DET0 − 4L
Dec 12, 2025at STL2 − 3L
Dec 10, 2025vs NYR3 − 0W
Dec 7, 2025at ANA1 − 7L
Dec 6, 2025at LA0 − 6L
Dec 4, 2025at LA2 − 1W
Dec 2, 2025at VGK3 − 4L
Nov 30, 2025vs ANA5 − 3W
Nov 28, 2025vs NSH3 − 4L

MTL · Last 10

4−6 · streak L1
Dec 16, 2025vs PHI1 − 4L
Dec 14, 2025vs EDM4 − 1W
Dec 13, 2025at NYR4 − 5L
Dec 11, 2025at PIT4 − 2W
Dec 9, 2025vs TB1 − 6L
Dec 7, 2025vs STL3 − 4L
Dec 6, 2025at TOR2 − 1W
Dec 3, 2025vs WPG3 − 2W
Dec 2, 2025vs OTT2 − 5L
Nov 29, 2025at COL2 − 7L