Canucks Seek to Eliminate Oilers in Game 6

Vancouver (+165 ML) Dogs in Canucks vs Oilers Betting Odds

Following their last-minute loss in Game 5, the Edmonton Oilers find themselves on the brink of elimination in the Western Conference playoffs. Game 6 of their series against the Vancouver Canucks is slated for Saturday (8 p.m. ET) at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.

Edmonton is -1.5 (+130) on the puck line and -192 on the moneyline, with Vancouver priced +160 to win outright. Meanwhile, the projected total is 6 with a slight edge to the Over at -122 odds. Bettors can get the Under at +102.

The Canucks are now -180 favorites to win the series, compared to +155 for the Oilers.

Can Vancouver close it out? We break down both teams and assess the Canucks vs Oilers betting odds in our NHL playoff preview.

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Oilers logoEdmonton Oilers vs Vancouver CanucksCanucks logo

Date/Time: Saturday, May 18, 8 p.m. ET
Location: Rogers Place; Edmonton, Alberta
Streaming: ESPN, ESPN+

Canucks vs Oilers Betting Trends

The Vancouver Canucks are 50-43 against the puck line, including 5-0 this series. Vancouver has also been profitable for Over/Under bettors, going 46-42-5.

The Edmonton Oilers, on the other hand, are just 40-52 against the puck line. However, the Oilers have been profitable of late for Over/Under bettors, going 7-3 this postseason for an overall mark of 42-46-4.

That’s important to remember when assessing the Canucks vs Oilers betting odds.

Vancouver Poised to Move On

J.T. Miller snapped his three-game scoring drought, netting the game-winning goal with 33 seconds remaining in Game 5. He’d been largely kept under wraps prior to that, with four assists over the previous three games.

NHL scores today now have the Canucks sitting one win from their first Western Conference finals appearance since 2010-11.

As such, Vancouver’s conference odds improved to +330 following Game 5. Surprisingly, the Canucks still sit behind Edmonton on the Stanley Cup odds board at +1100.

Without Thatcher Demko, there remains skepticism about Vancouver’s staying power. The Vezina Trophy finalist hasn’t played since Game 1 against Nashville because of a knee injury.

Head coach Rick Tocchet said Thursday that Demko has “improved immensely (over) the last 72 hours” and could soon return. However, nothing has been confirmed.

Fortunately for Vancouver, Arturs Silovs has stepped up in Demko’s absence. The Canucks’ unlikely hero already has five wins and a 2.62 goals against-average and .907 save percentage this postseason.

The Canucks have covered the puck line in all five games this series and are 50-43 overall. Be sure to keep that in mind when analyzing the Canucks vs Oilers betting odds.

Oilers’ Offense Goes Cold

Edmonton has seen improvement in net with Calvin Pickard. The veteran backup made 32 saves in Game 5, albeit in a losing effort. He now has a 2.21 GAA and .915 save percentage in three games (two starts) this series.

Pickard replaced Stuart Skinner as the starter before Game 3. He’d served as Skinner’s backup since November, when Jack Campbell was demoted to the AHL.

The 32-year-old Pickard went 12-7-1 with a 2.45 GAA and .909 save percentage during the regular season, his biggest workload since 2016-17 with Colorado.

Edmonton sits on the brink of elimination despite the change, needing a win to force Game 7 on Monday. As such, the Oilers have dropped to +450 to win the West and +900 to win the Stanley Cup.

Offense is a strength, though Vancouver kept Edmonton under wraps in Game 5. Connor McDavid was held scoreless for only the second time this postseason, and the Oilers went 0 for 5 on the power play. Despite that, they still lead all teams with a 40% conversion rate.

McDavid’s 18 playoff points (2 goals, 16 assists) are second to only teammate Leon Draisaitl’s 21 (8 goals, 13 assists). As a team, the Oilers are averaging 3.8 goals per game.

Despite their proficient scoring, the Oilers are just 42-46-4 against the Over/Under.

Handicapping the Game

Big picture, there’s a lot to like about the Edmonton Oilers standings. But a closer look shows Edmonton is in big trouble as the series shifts back to Rogers Place. After breezing through the first round, beating Los Angeles in five games, Edmonton is facing elimination for the first time this postseason.

The Oilers need to win both Games 6 and 7 to advance to the conference finals for the second time in three years.

If that seems like a tall order, that’s because it is. The Canucks and Oilers have alternated wins over the first five games, with Vancouver holding a slim 17-16 edge in total goals.

With Silovs in net, the Canucks seem unlikely to budge. But few teams are better equipped to score in bunches than Edmonton.

When making your NHL predictions, it’s worth remembering that Vancouver has covered the puck line every game this series.

For NHL best bets, odds analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine


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