Vegas Golden Knights vs. Vancouver Canucks Prediction, NHL Odds
This game has the dynamic of one team with nothing to play for and one with a ton to play for. The Canucks have already clinched the last-place spot in the league, so they have the best odds of winning the draft lottery. The story is different for the Golden Knights.
Vegas is a point back of the top spot in the Pacific, and would love to overtake the two teams they are battling. Since making a surprising coaching change with just eight games left in the year, Vegas looks great. Vancouver has its work cut out if they are going to play spoiler.
Golden Knights vs. Canucks NHL Betting Odds
As expected, the Golden Knights are the heavy favourite on the NHL odds board. Vegas is -235 to win and is +105 to cover a -1.5 puck line. Vancouver is +190 to win outright and -130 to cover +1.5 goals. The game total is set at 6.5, with the over being -105 and the under being -115.
Unless the Golden Knights just plain mail it in, they should be able to take care of business in this one. Vegas has won both head-to-head matchups this season by a combined score of 9-4, which contributes to six straight wins over Vancouver. Vegas’ three straight wins entering Tuesday only give them more appeal.
Vegas Golden Knights
As mentioned, the Golden Knights made a rare head coaching change with just eight games left in the season. Given the extremely short runway remaining in the regular season, that is a risky move that so far has looked effective.
In their three games under new coach John Tortorella, Vegas beat Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton by a combined score of 15-6. Despite a bit of a rollercoaster of a season, the Golden Knights are back to playing the brand of hockey to which opponents and fans have become accustomed since their inaugural season.
Vancouver Canucks
The sweet release of the season’s end is nearly here for the Canucks. This has been a tough one, but their consolation prize is going to be a potential franchise-altering player in the draft. In the meantime, Vancouver has seven more games to play. The Canucks just lost to the Golden Knights last week, and have an uphill battle again tonight.
The Canucks enter this game with one win in their last nine games. In those defeats, they lost by an average score of 5.13-2.13. As with most of the season, the Canucks are just getting bullied lately. They had a glimmer of hope in the form of an outlier 8-6 win over Colorado last week. But that should not be the expectation against Vegas on Tuesday.
NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Golden Knights vs. Canucks?
The Canucks are not just losing lately, they are losing big. An average loss by three goals does not lend much confidence in their potential to beat a playoff-bound team. As the worst team in hockey by 18 points, any Canucks opponent has a favourable matchup. The Golden Knights will not be an exception.
Vegas has proven to be a tough matchup for Vancouver this year. The Golden Knights are already the better team and now they also have an incentive. This is an experienced team that knows what they have to do this time of year. Vegas will not come out with a casual effort, expecting to win. They should come out with some jam and win in convincing fashion by a score of 5-2.
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