Canucks: Betting odds and prediction vs. Jets (January 27)

The Vancouver Canucks hit the road again to begin a four game stretch away from Rogers Arena when they take on the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night.

Coming off a gut-wrenching 3-2 overtime loss at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, Vancouver will look to stay within striking distance of a playoff spot with a massive showdown against the Jets. Despite a standout performance from goalie Spencer Martin and taking a 2-0 lead into the third period, the Canucks were unable to close the door, subsequently missing out on a valuable point. The loss to Edmonton makes it three games in a row that the Canucks have dropped.

Vancouver now holds a record of 18-19-5, and currently sit five points out of the second wild card spot in the tightly contested Western Conference.

The opponent on Thursday, the Winnipeg Jets, are currently on a five game losing streak, and sit with a record of 17-15-7. Winnipeg holds the 6th position in the Central Division, and is also five points outside of a playoff spot.

The Jets are led by interim head coach Dave Lowry following the departure of Paul Maurice, and boasts talents including the likes of Kyle Connor, Pierre-Luc Dubois, and Mark Scheifele.

Winnipeg is the definition of mediocre so far this year, and sit middle of the pack in goals scored and goals conceded per night. They can be taken advantage of on the penalty kill however, as their efficiency rate of 74.1% ranks 28th in the NHL.

Thatcher Demko has left the COVID-19 protocol but his status for Thursday remains up in the air. If he cannot go, expect Martin to be in the crease again. The Jets should have Connor Hellebuyck between the pipes on the other end of the rink.

The odds for this game are courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook, the official betting partner of FanSided.

Betting Odds

Moneyline

Canucks +145

Jets -165

Goal Total

Over 5.5 goals at +105

Under 5.5 goals at -125

Puckline

Canucks +1.5 at -165

Jets -1.5 at +140

Prediction

The Canucks season is teetering on the edge. Given the gap between Vancouver and the other teams in the playoff spots, and the differing amounts of games played due to COVID issues, the Canucks are in need of another long winning streak to mount a charge to the postseason. The only issue with this is that their opponent, the Jets, are in a similar situation. The desperation factor from both teams should amount to a low scoring, tightly contested matchup. Despite his performance against the Oilers, Martin is an unproven goalie who cannot be counted on fully, whilst Connor Hellebuyck can be consistently relied upon game after game. Given this, I’m not convinced the Canucks will pull out a victory but I expect them to keep it close all 60 minutes.

Vancouver covers the spread in a low scoring game.

Pick: Canucks +1.5 at -165 & Under 5.5 goals at -125

What are your thoughts on this upcoming game between the Canucks and Jets? What bets will you be placing on the game? Let us know your thoughts down below in the comment section!