10:07 pm
May 8

Canucks @ Oilers

Who will WIN this matchup?

Vancouver Canucks (20-25-3)

@ Edmonton Oilers (32-18-2)

 

Starting Goalies:

Thatcher Demko (VAN): Confirmed

Mike Smith (EDM): Confirmed

 

Current odds:

Vancouver Canucks: (+210)

Edmonton Oilers: (-240)

 

• The Vancouver Canucks mathematically are still alive in the chase for a ticket to the Stanley Cup playoffs. With eight games remaining in their condensed finish to the regular season, the Canucks — with help — can still supplant the Montreal Canadiens for fourth place in the North Division. The Canucks (20-25-3, 43 points) need more like their last performance when they face the Edmonton Oilers (32-18-2, 66 points) in the teams’ fourth consecutive meeting on Saturday.

• Vancouver snapped a six-game losing skid in a 6-3 win over the Oilers on Thursday, a game in which they scored on their first four shots for a 4-0 edge and held on.

• The Canucks sit 14 points behind the slumping Canadiens, who have lost two straight and still have three games remaining in the regular season.

• Despite having their three-game winning streak snapped, the Oilers still hold a 5-3 edge in the season series with Vancouver. Edmonton holds the second spot in the North Division and won’t likely move up or down before the regular season ends, so a lack of focus is understandable. However, falling behind by four goals before the 13-minute mark isn’t a good sign for the team, or second-string goalie Mikko Koskinen, who was pulled after going without a save.

• The good news for the Oilers in that game was captain Connor McDavid collected three more assists and now is up to a league-leading 96 points. McDavid has four games to reach the century mark in a 56-game season, and it’s a good bet he’ll reach it. McDavid has collected two or more points in nine of his last 10 games, with eight goals and 19 assists in that span.

• The loss was his 17th game this season with three or more points this season, which is the second most in a single season since 2005-06, and all the other players who recorded 18 or more three-point games did so during an 82-game campaign.

• McDavid, who also failed to convert a third-period penalty shot, was more concerned about bouncing back and readying for the playoffs.

6/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Edmonton Oilers
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