NHL Betting Preview: Canucks vs. Predators Game 5
By Tyson Cole
3 minutes agoThe Vancouver Canucks are back on home ice after a come-from-behind win late in Game 4 against the Nashville Predators. They have a chance to punch their ticket to the second round tonight. In this NHL Betting article, you’ll be up to date with all the current Canucks odds and trends from this series to help you win a little bit of extra money this playoff season!
Canucks vs. Predators Odds
- Nashville Predators Moneyline Odds: +105
- Vancouver Canucks Moneyline Odds: -125
- Puck Line Odds: Predators +1.5 (-250), Canucks -1.5 (+205)
- Game Total: 5.5 goals (over -115, under -105)
- Time/Date: April 30th, 7:00 PM PST
- TV: Sportsnet, CBC
All odds courtesy of bet365.
Last Matchup
Game 4 of this series will be known as one of the most epic playoff comebacks in Vancouver Canucks history and the Brock Boeser statement game. Boeser had the game’s opening goal off an impressive set play off the faceoff. Former Canuck, Kevin Bieksa, breaks it down perfectly on Hockey Night in Canada.
Boeser then scored two goals in the final 2:49 of the game, including his hat-trick goal with six seconds remaining to send the game to overtime. Early into the extra frame, the Dakota-Joshua-Elias Lindholm-Conor Garland line showed their Game 1 heroics by scoring just one minute into overtime. This comeback was the eighth latest multi-goal comeback in NHL playoff history.
The Predators had this game in the bag and are probably kicking themselves as they controlled play and outshot the Canucks by a 30-21 margin.
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Check out Daily Faceoff for all the updates regarding the line combinations and goaltenders for Tuesday’s matchup.
Handicapping the Predators (1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS, 2-2 O/U)
The Nashville Predators were tied or had the lead for 54:26 of the game and, by all accounts, deserved to win the last game. They had more shots on goal (30) and higher expected goals (2.93). A loss like this has to be so dispiriting in the Predators locker room, as even when you’re the better team, you don’t win.
Juuse Saros continues to struggle. He has a 1-3 record and a .859 save percentage in the series. At the beginning of the series, I said that Saros is having the worst statistical season of his career, and it’s showing in the playoffs. Vancouver has won games with 20, 12 and 21 shots against. The eye test shows that Vancouver isn’t playing their top game, but performances like these are sinking the Predators.
I think Nashville just has too much to overcome to get themselves back into this series. It’s do or die for them tonight; let’s see how they come out tonight.
Handicapping the Canucks (3-1 SU, 3-1 ATS, 2-2 O/U)
The emotions are high in Vancouver after that massive momentum swing in the series. Having a 3-1 series lead is a lot different mentally than a series tied at two. The Canucks need to close it out tonight and give their players some rest, as they clearly have some injuries they’re dealing with.
Captain Quinn Hughes played 24:09 of ice time. While this still led the team, it’s lower than his season average of 24:41. He’s been seen grimacing on the bench after taking a hit; he is clearly a guy who’s banged up and needs a break. Elias Pettersson just hasn’t been right lately; it could be due to an injury or just a battle between his ears. Now, don’t get me started on how long a lengthy break would be for this goaltending room.
With all this said, I think their momentum may be too much for the Predators to handle. Expect the Canucks to come out hungry to close out the series on home ice tonight.
Predators vs. Canucks Injury News
The injury bug is coming for this Canucks goaltending room. Casey DeSmith was ruled out two hours before puck drop of Game 4. It remains seen when DeSmith was injured, but he was shaking his wrist at points of the game, or it could have been after the Michael McCarron cheap shot behind the net. The injury doesn’t sound like it will be long-term, so we’ll see if they decide to rush DeSmith back or turn to Arturs Silovs.
Spencer Stastney remains injured after taking a hit from Dakota Joshua along the end boards in Game 3.
Projected Lineups
After a hard hit from Dakota Joshua along the end boards, Spencer Stastney left Game 3 with an upper-body injury. New Westminster, BC native Dante Fabbro will draw into the lineup on the top pairing with Roman Josi for the Nashville Predators. We’ll see if they make any other lineup changes as they face elimination.
No lineup changes for the Canucks. Rick Tocchet has put out smoke screens today, as both Arturs Silovs and Casey DeSmith went through the starters routine. It will be interesting to see who he turns to in tonight’s series clinching game.
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Team Betting Trends
- Nashville is 1-2 over their last three road games.
- Vancouver is 6-1 against Nashville this season.
- Nashville is 1-4 in their last five games as an underdog.
- These two teams are 7-3 to the over 5.5 in their last 10 head-to-head matches.
Player Prop Betting Trends
- Last games hero for the Canucks, Brock Boeser, has points in three of four games this series, totalling five points. Boeser was on fire to end the year, with 24 points in his last 29 games. Against the Predators, he has points in nine of his previous 12 games, totalling 11 points. His point prop is at -160 odds on bet365.
- Like Boeser, Gustav Nyquist also has points in three of four games in this series. Over his last 19 games, Nyquist has 22 points. The team’s top-line right winger has been an affordable find for the Predators. Consider his point prop at -175 odds.
Best Bets for Canucks Army
- After such a demoralizing defeat last game, plus having to play on the road now, I think that’s just too much for Nashville to handle. So we’ll be taking the Vancouver Canucks moneyline at -125 odds. It’s also a good idea to sprinkle the puck line as well at +205 odds, as it’s an elimination game, and teams on the brink have nothing to lose by continuously pulling their goaltender in hopes of tying the game – leading to more empty net goals. I.E. Tampa Bay, down 4-1 last night, pulled their goalie twice as they had nothing to lose.
- Given his recent heroics and point history, we’ll be taking Brock Boeser to get a point at -160 odds.
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