Canucks vs. Senators prediction, odds, pick

The Ottawa Senators are beginning to fall into familiar and unsettling ground, and it won’t get any easier when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Hockey Night in Canada. The Canucks have won four consecutive games against the Senators, sweeping the last two season series. The Canucks season hasn’t been going as well as the previous year, and the recent loss of JT Miller from the lineup could cause problems. It’s time to continue our NHL odds series with a Canucks-Senators prediction and pick.

The Canucks entered a six-game homestand with high hopes about the future of their team. They had three games against non-playoff teams, a matchup with the Edmonton Oilers, who they routinely beat, and a New York Rangers team going through some problems. However, they started the stand with a blowout loss to the Oilers and then just won two of their next five to go 2-4 on home ice. The Canucks’ struggles aren’t surprising, as they lost Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm in the offseason, and their all-star goaltender Thatcher Demko has been out of the lineup all year with an injury.

The Senators desperately need a reset, as they can’t continue the same trend every season. Ottawa had high hopes entering the season, especially after acquiring former Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark. It seemed like it was finally time for the Senators to escape the basement, and their 3-0 shutout of the Toronto Maple Leafs 11 days ago was a statement win. However, since that night, they have lost four games in a row and are now just one point ahead of the Montreal Canadiens in a battle for last in the Atlantic Division.

Here are the Canucks-Senators NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Canucks-Senators Odds

Vancouver Canucks: +1.5 (-220)

Moneyline: +120

Ottawa Senators: -1.5 (+180)

Moneyline: -140

Over: 6 (-105)

Under: 6 (-115)

How To Watch Canucks vs. Senators

Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT

TV: Sportsnet

Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)

Why the Canucks Could Cover the Spread/Win

It’s starting to look like the Boston Bruins’ goaltending tandem of the past few seasons had all their powers from the partnership. Jeremy Swayman has been having his worst season since returning from the contract holdout, and Ullmark hasn’t been the same goalie since joining the Senators. Ullmark was going to be the team’s savior, but he battled some injuries and has an abysmal 3.00 goals-against average and .887 save percentage. Things are going terrible for both these teams, but the Senators look like the bigger mess.

Why the Senators Could Cover the Spread/Win

The Canucks need Demko back, and it looks like he could join the team at some point on this road trip. Until then, we can take advantage of a Canucks goaltending tandem that is struggling to say the least. Kevin Lankinen allowed four goals in back-to-back stars, and Arturs Silovs allowed another four goals to the Rangers on Tuesday night. It’s hard to trust either goalie with their combined 3.22 goals-against average and .884 save percentage.

Final Canucks-Senators Prediction & Pick

After we criticized both teams’ goaltending situations, it shouldn’t be a massive surprise that we take the over in this matchup. Despite the recent struggles, both teams have explosive offenses that can put up massive nights. Vancouver averages 3.17 goals per game, while Ottawa averages 3.11. Saturday night All-Canadian matchups tend to get exciting, and this feels like a sneaky game of the night candidate.

Final Canucks-Senators Prediction & Pick: Over 6 (-105)