A competitive battle against the Avalanche amounted to a Canucks loss on Wednesday night. Tonight the Canucks have a shot at redemption against the Kraken after a tough 4-3 loss just under one week ago. Vancouver will have to do it without the help from usual top-line left-winger Andrei Kuzmenko tonight, as he will be a healthy scratch. The Canuck forward has struggled out of the gate with only three goals and fourteen points in nineteen games this season. While he still has the sixth-highest point total on the team, it’s his effort level away from the puck that ultimately warrants a seat in the press box tonight, per Daniel Wagner.
Game Preview:
These teams have opposite records coming into this match. The Canucks have lost three of their last four games, while the Kraken have won three of their last four games. Seattle has taken three straight against Vancouver, but the goals continue to come at a high rate. The game total is set at 6.5, and games against these two have gone over this total in eight straight head-to-head matchups. Both the Canucks and the Kraken have gone over this total in eight of their last ten games. We have an impressive edge on this total, as both teams are clearing this number in 80% of their recent games and 100% in head-to-head matchups.
Player Props:
Anthony Beauvillier Over 1.5 Shots On Goal
Beauvillier isn’t a favourite shot-on-goal target, but with the Kuzmenko healthy scratch, he should see more minutes tonight. In the last game, Rick Tocchet gave him a chance on JT Miller’s left wing. The Canucks coach must have liked what he saw out of the former Islander, as he’s stuck with that line in this morning’s line rushes. Beauvillier has covered this line in five of his last seven games, averaging 1.9 shots on goal on 4.3 shot attempts per game. In their previous meeting against the Kraken, the Canuck winger got both of his shot attempts on net, finishing with two shots on goal. Beauvillier plays the half wall on the second powerplay unit and leads that unit in both shots on goal and shot attempts.
Conor Garland Point
One of the most impressive lines over the last few games has been this Joshua-Blueger-Garland line. As a line, they have yet to find the score sheet but consistently spend most of their shift time in the offensive zone. Garland has registered a point in all four games in Climate Pledge Arena, totalling six points. With Kuzmenko out, Garland is the beneficiary of the top powerplay unit. The Canucks have the league’s third-best powerplay percentage and face off against the Kraken’s fourth-worst penalty kill.
Best Bet Summary:
Vancouver Canucks/Seattle Kraken Total Over 6.5 (-110) for 1 unit.
Anthony Beauvillier Over 1.5 Shots On Goal (-122) for 1 unit.
Conor Garland Point (+125) for 0.5 unit.
Last Game Recap: 3-0 +2.54 units.
All-Time Record: 10-6 +2.77 units.