[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]
The Pacific Division-leading Vancouver Canucks (40-17-7) wrap up their 3-game road trip Thursday night as they take on the Vegas Golden Knights (33-22-7). Puck drop at T-Mobile Arena is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Below, we analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Canucks vs. Golden Knights odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
Including Thursday night’s contest, the Canucks have just 6 more road games left this season, and their home matchup Saturday vs. the Winnipeg Jets is the start of a 9-game homestand. Vancouver enters Thursday with a 9-point advantage over the Edmonton Oilers in the standings.
Vegas has struggled mightily of late, dropping 3 in a row and 8 of its last 10. Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon has responded by acquiring the top defenseman that was left on the market D Noah Hanifin in a 3-way trade with the Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers. It was the 2nd trade in 2 days for Vegas as McCrimmon also sent a couple of draft picks to the Washington Capitals for RW Anthony Mantha.
This is the 2nd meeting this season between these teams, and they will play 2 more times before the regular season wraps up. In a Nov. 30 meeting, Vegas was victorious 4-1, cashing as a (+105) road underdog.
Stream the NHL all season on ESPN+, with your team’s out-of-market games, exclusive games, originals and more. Get ESPN+ now!
Canucks at Golden Knights odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:35 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Canucks +100 (bet $100 to win $100) | Golden Knights -120 (bet $120 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Canucks +1.5 (-255) | Golden Knights -1.5 (+205)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: -140 | U: +114)
[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]
Canucks at Golden Knights projected goalies
Thatcher Demko (32-13-2, 2.52 GAA, .915 SV%, 5 SO) vs. Adin Hill (15-7-2, 2.49 GAA, .920 SV%, 2 SO)
Demko is tied with Colorado Avalanche G Alexandar Georgiev atop the league in wins (32), although the 28-year-old is just 2-4-1 in his last 7 starts. Only Pittsburgh Penguins G Tristan Jarry has more shutouts (6) than Demko this season.
Hill sports the 3rd-highest save percentage in the league, behind only Jets G Connor Hellebuyck (.922%) and Boston Bruins G Jeremy Swayman (.921%). The 27-year-old has allowed 10 goals combined in his last 2 starts, with just 1 win recorded in his last 7 appearances overall.
Play our free daily Pick’em Challenge and win! Play now!
Canucks at Golden Knights picks and predictions
Prediction
Golden Knights 4, Canucks 3
Moneyline
BET GOLDEN KNIGHTS (-120).
The defending Stanley Cup champs should be able to get back on track by beating a Canucks team that has been mediocre since acquiring C Elias Lindholm from Calgary. The 29-year-old has not registered a point in his last 7 games played and is once again subject to trade rumors.
Puck line/Against the spread
PASS.
Tough to back this Vegas team playing without its captain RW Mark Stone, who is on LTIR after suffering a lacerated spleen.
Over/Under
BET OVER 5.5 (-140).
C Elias Pettersson has 3 straight 30-goal seasons after finding the back of the net in Vancouver’s 2-1 OT victory over the Los Angeles Kings Tuesday. Just like his new teammate Lindholm in 2013, Pettersson was a 5th overall pick when drafted (2017) and now the 25-year-old is sitting at 399 career points. Expect Pettersson to cross the 400-point mark, and D Quinn Hughes will continue his reign atop the points leaderboard for defenseman.
Vancouver has solid scoring options which should help them keep pace offensively with Vegas. However, RW Jonathan Marchessault, who has 9 points in his last 6 games, and C Jack Eichel, who just returned from LTIR, should be key contributors to the Over and to their team’s victory.
[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Follow @TheBigCheeShow on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1369]