NHL Best Bets: Predators vs. Canucks Game Picks

Two mediocre teams in the Western Conference are set to face off tonight, with the Vancouver Canucks playing host to the Nashville Predators.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Entering the regular season, both the Predators and Canucks were expected to be hovering around the playoff line in the Western Conference, but that ultimately hasn’t come to fruition. These teams continue to identify as very average NHL franchises, and it’s hard to get excited about what they’re bringing to the table on a nightly basis. They’re priced very evenly tonight on the moneyline, with the Canucks listed as slight home favorites at -111 while the Preds are sitting at -108. 

This will be the third and final meeting of the year between these clubs, which has already seen the Preds post two victories by scores of 4-3 and 5-4. Nashville has been playing better hockey, posting two straight victories and a 6-4 record over their past ten games, while the Canucks are sitting at 4-5-1 over that same sample size. 

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup tonight, the Predators are expected to continue riding Juuse Saros, while the Canucks should do the same with Thatcher Demko. The Predators netminder has been one of the biggest highlights for this team, posting a 24-17-5 record, paired with a .917 save percentage. Demko has largely struggled in a smaller sample size, posting a 5-11-2 record, along with a .893 save percentage. 

The Canucks don’t really give a ton of confidence right now, and the Predators are simply playing a higher-caliber brand of hockey. More positives surround Nashville, and they have the stronger goaltender, which leads us to appreciate their solid moneyline price at -108. In addition, you also have to factor in their two victories in two tries over Vancouver, which makes us like the direction we’re siding with even more. 

Best Bet: Predators moneyline (-108)

The two matchups we’ve already seen have been high-scoring, tallying seven and nine goals, respectively. These teams are polar opposites, with the Canucks sitting tenth in goals scored per game while the Preds are 12th in goals allowed per game. Nashville struggles to score, while Vancouver struggles to keep pucks out of their net. Over the Predators’ past five games, they’ve seen six or more goals scored in two of those contests, while the Canucks have seen it transpire in just one game. Despite the recent trends, there’s slightly more value in backing the over six here tonight at -110. 

Best Bet: Over 6 (-110) 

It hasn’t been a picture-perfect season for the Nashville Predators on offense, but they’re being treated to a very juicy matchup tonight against a Vancouver team who sits 31st in the league in goals allowed per game. One Nashville forward that’s been playing good hockey lately is Matt Duchene, who leads the club with two goals and five assists over their past five games. Duchene hasn’t been an offensive juggernaut this season, but he’s still one of the team’s most consistent scorers. Duchene is currently listed at +154 to light the lamp tonight, and there’s value in backing that price point. 

Best Prop: Matt Duchene to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+154)