The Vancouver Canucks are coming off a 2-1 victory on Monday over the Montreal Canadiens, and will look to win back-to-back games for the second time this season when they hit the ice on Wednesday night.
Wednesday’s opponent, the Ottawa Senators, will host Vancouver amidst a five game losing streak during which they’ve allowed 31 goals. The Senators, holding a record of 4-14-1, are 8th place in the Atlantic Division, and currently have the worst point percentage in all of the NHL.
Despite a promising end to last season, its clear that Ottawa is still aways away in their full-fledged rebuild. The Senators have endured a tumultuous beginning to the campaign with lots of injuries and a large COVID-19 outbreak which forced three of their games to be rescheduled.
Led by head coach D.J. Smith, the Sens have a young cupboard of potential stars led by the likes of Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stützle, and Thomas Chabot.
After picking up a crucial win in Montreal, Vancouver will be looking to carry over its performance into the nation’s capital in search of some much-needed momentum. As Kevin Bieksa noted on the broadcast the other night, turning around a troubled season can begin with “just one win”, and the Canucks will be hoping this is the spark to ignite their campaign.
Look for the Canucks to test the Senators backend and goaltending early and often as Ottawa concedes the most goals per game in the NHL by a wide margin. At 3.84 goals against per night, the Senators recently waived goalie Matt Murray and his large contract, freeing up space for some of their young net-minders to get some action.
After making some spectacular saves late in the game against the Habs, expect Vancouver to return to stud goaltender Thatcher Demko between the pipes in Ottawa, while the Sens are expected to roll out rookie goaltender Filip Gustavsson.
The odds for Wednesday’s game between the Canucks and Senators are courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook, the official betting partner of FanSided.
Canucks vs. Senators Odds and Totals:
Moneyline:
Canucks -125
Senators +112
Total:
5.5 goals (over -110 // under -110 )
Puckline:
Canucks -1.5 at +185
Senators +1.5 at -220
Canucks vs. Senators Prediction:
The Senators are a dumpster fire right now, similarly or even worse so than what the Canucks are at this current moment in time. With lots of players just beginning to return for Ottawa after their COVID-19 outbreak, their game-fitness and sharpness on the ice should be called in to question as the game progresses on Wednesday. Given Vancouver’s performance in Montreal in which they picked up a much needed win after outplaying the Habs, I reckon the players will have a little extra juice and confidence in their legs. The Canucks will keep the feel-good factor rolling into the nation’s capital, and come away with back-to-back wins to head home with.
Pick: Canucks ML -125
What are your thoughts on this upcoming game between the Canucks and Senators? What bets will you be placing on the game? Let us know your thoughts down below in the comment section!