The Vancouver Canucks are one of the biggest dumpster fires across the NHL at this current moment in time. With mass amounts of extraneous pressure mounting from the fans and media on general manager Jim Benning and head coach Travis Green, the Canucks performances on the ice aren’t getting any better.
After a promising first 41 minutes against the Avalanche, Vancouver’s lack of discipline and inability to have even a decent penalty kill came back to be their achilles heel. Poor penalties by Alex Chiasson, J.T. Miller, and Quinn Hughes contributed to a quick recession of their 2-1 lead. The Canucks were jeered off the ice following the 4-2 defeat by an upset bunch of fans inside Rogers Arena.
Losers of five in a row, the Canucks, now 5-10-2 on the season, sit 7th in the Pacific Division, and are estimated to have only an 8% chance of making the playoffs according to the latest projections by The Athletic.
Projected 2021-22 NHL standings and playoff chances as of November 17, updated daily at @TheAthleticNHL https://t.co/7bLj1kHHwF pic.twitter.com/ayGAshUsIt
— dom 📈 (@domluszczyszyn) November 17, 2021
With fellow Canadian club the Winnipeg Jets rolling into town on Friday night, Vancouver is in must-win mode in order to save their dwindling playoff hopes.
The Jets enter play on the second night of a back-to-back after battling the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, and occupy a playoff spot in in the tightly contested Central Division. Winnipeg is statistically ranked in the top eight in goals scored and goals allowed per game, and are led by veteran head coach Paul Maurice, and top talent such as Connor Hellebuyck, Kyle Connor, and Pierre-Luc Dubois.
After allowing another three power play goals to the Avalanche on Wednesday, Vancouver’s historically bad 60.3% penalty kill will have it’s work cut-out for them against the Jets quick-moving, high octane top-10 power play.
After starting Connor Hellebuyck against the Oilers, the Jets should turn to back-up goalie Eric Comrie against Vancouver, whilst the Canucks should maintain Thatcher Demko‘s position between the pipes.
The odds for Friday’s game between the Canucks and Jets are courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook, the official betting partner of FanSided.
Canucks vs. Jets Odds and Total:
Moneyline:
Canucks +110
Jets -120
Total:
5.5 goals (over -115 // under -105)
Puckline:
Canucks +1.5 at -230
Jets -1.5 at +195
Canucks vs. Jets Prediction:
Vancouver’s effort through 41 minutes against the Avalanche has given me hope for this game on Friday night. A more disciplined performance see’s them probably cover the +1.5 spread they were up against in the Colorado game, and that’s why I’m taking them +1.5 on the puckline against Winnipeg. The odds aren’t at an optimal value, but it’s the pick I feel most confident about. Winnipeg are on the latter half of a back-to-back and after the tough challenge of keeping up with Connor McDavid and the Oilers last night, expect the Jets to start the game slow and potentially not at their best. Vancouver will build on their start against Colorado, and will do enough to keep the game close down to the final buzzer.
Pick: Canucks +1.5 at -230
What are your thoughts on this upcoming matchup between the Canucks and Jets? What bets will you placing for this game? Let us know your thoughts down below in the comment section!