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The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks meet in Game 2 of a best-of-7 Western Conference, 2nd-round series Friday. The Canucks lead 1-0. Puck drop from Rogers Arena is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Oilers vs. Canucks odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
No lead is safe in the 2nd round of these Western Conference playoffs. The Oilers found that out in a 5-4 Game 1 loss Wednesday. They were -128 road favorites as the Canucks were +116 underdogs and the Over (6) cashed.
Edmonton built a 4-1 lead with 6:49 left in the 2nd period in the opener. A goal by C Elias Lindholm late in the period sliced the lead to 4-2.
Midway through the 3rd period, the Vancouver offense caught fire. C J.T. Miller, D Nikita Zadorov and RW Conor Garland each scored within a 5-minute span erasing the deficit to take a 5-4 lead with 5:34 to go. Garland’s go-ahead goal came 39 seconds after Zadorov’s tying tally and all of the wind had been sucked out of Edmonton’s sails.
Canucks G Arturs Silovs only had to make 14 saves as the Oilers finished with 18 shots. Edmonton G Stuart Skinner stopped 19 of Vancouver 24 shots.
Including Wednesday’s victory, Vancouver is 5-0 vs. Edmonton this season, outscoring the Oilers 26-11. The Over is 3-1-1 in those games, including a perfect 3-0 in the games played in Vancouver — 2 regular-season meetings and Game 1.
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Oilers at Canucks odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:56 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Oilers -135 (bet $135 to win $100) | Canucks +115 (bet $100 to win $115)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Oilers -1.5 (+185) | Canucks +1.5 (-225)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: +100 | U: -120)
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Oilers at Canucks projected goalies
Stuart Skinner (4-2-0, 3.01 GAA, .893 SV%, 1 SO in 2024 playoffs) vs. Arturs Silovs (3-1-0, 2.28 GAA, .908 SV%, 1 SO in 2024 playoffs)
Skinner was blitzed in the 3rd period, allowing 3 goals, and he coughed up 4 straight to the Canucks. It appeared he and his Oilers teammates were on their way to a win, but the Canucks had other ideas. This will be a tough one to bounce back from.
Despite falling behind 4-1, Silovs righted the ship in the opener. He’s 3-1 in these playoffs and has been a decent fill-in for All-Star G Thatcher Demko, who is sidelined with a knee injury. Demko could be back in net by Game 4 or 5 as he is trending in the right direction.
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Oilers at Canucks picks and predictions
Prediction
Canucks 5, Oilers 3
Moneyline
The CANUCKS (+115) are a strong play in Game 2 as short underdogs at home. This Vancouver offense proved it has no quit, and it can be a quick strike unit when necessary.
The Oilers (-135) have to be shellshocked after blowing a 3-goal lead in the opener. Edmonton looked like it might finally be able to get over the hump against Vancouver after losing all 4 regular-season meetings, but it laid an egg in the 3rd period. That’s going to be tough to forget about.
Puck line/Against the spread
The Canucks +1.5 (-225) will cost more than 2 times the potential return. That’s too expensive even if you looking for insurance with the +1.5 goals and don’t feel comfortable backing Vancouver straight up.
AVOID and focus on the moneyline instead.
Over/Under
OVER 6.5 (+100) is worth a look.
The Over has cashed in all 3 meetings this season in Vancouver, and Skinner has allowed 9 goals in his past 2 starts.
The Over looks like a solid option, and at plus-money, it’s a nice value, too.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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