Vancouver Canucks vs Edmonton Oilers Prediction, Preview and Odds - 05/18/2024

Game Time: 8:00 pm ET, Saturday, May 18, 2024

Venue:  Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB

Where to Watch:  ESPN

DraftKings:  Moneyline:  Canucks +170, Oilers -205; Over/Under:  6.5 goals

Bet365:  Moneyline:  Canucks +170, Oilers -205; Over/Under:  6.5 goals

BetMGM:  Moneyline:  Canucks +165, Oilers -200; Over/Under:  6.5 goals

Vancouver Canucks:  50-23-9 (1st place, Pacific Division)

Edmonton Oilers:  49-27-6 (2nd place, Pacific Division)

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Vancouver Canucks:  6-3-1 last 10

Edmonton Oilers:  6-3-1 last 10

The Canucks are entering this game with 109 points, a 50-23-9 record overall, and they were 23-14-4 in their road games this regular season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a win against the Edmonton Oilers in their last game, winning that one at home 3-2. Phillip Di Giuseppe, J. T. Miller, and Carson Soucy each scored 1 goal for them in that game. Elias Lindholm and Elias Pettersson each led the team in assists with 1 while J. T. Miller and Quinn Hughes each led the team in shots on net in that game with 4. Arturs Silovs was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 2 goals on 23 shots with 21 saves and a .913 sv percentage. Their offense has scored 279 goals this season averaging 3.4 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 223 goals against them allowing 2.7 goals per game.

The Oilers are entering this game with 104 points, a 49-27-6 record overall, and they were 28-9-4 in their home games this regular season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a loss against the Vancouver Canucks in their last game, losing that one on the road 3-2. Mattias Janmark and Evander Kane each scored 1 goal for them in that game. Connor Brown, Vincent Desharnais, Leon Draisaitl, and Brett Kulak each led the team in assists with 1 while Leon Draisaitl, Mattias Janmark, Evander Kane, Mattias Ekholm, Dylan Holloway, Zach Hyman, Connor McDavid, and Corey Perry each led the team in shots on net in that game with 2. Calvin Pickard was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 3 goals on 35 shots with 32 saves and a .914 sv percentage. Their offense has scored 294 goals this season averaging 3.6 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 237 goals against them allowing 2.9 goals per game.

The current betting odds have the Canucks listed as an underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. This is game 6 of a 7 game series between the 1st seeded Canucks and the 2nd seeded Oilers from the Pacific Division for Round 2 of the NHL Western Conference playoffs. The Canucks have a 3-2 series lead after winning game 5 of this series on their home ice. The Canucks have looked really good in this series as they have the 3-2 series lead, but even in their losses, every game in this series has been a close one. The Oilers have looked a lot better on home ice this season but they already split the 2 games in Edmonton in this series and the Canucks aren't really a team that the Oilers have found success against this season either. The Canucks had the Oilers number during the regular season and that has translated into the playoffs too with a series lead now after 5 games. The Oilers are going to bring their best effort on home ice now that they are facing elimination in this game, but their strength is their offense and that is something that has disappeared for them in this series. The Canucks strength is defense and so far their defense has been winning the battle with players like McDavid completely disappearing from the Oilers offense. The Oilers really need to step up in this game but with how tight every game in this series has been, the Canucks could very well close out the series in this game or lose in another 1 goal game if the Oilers find a way to get the job done. The best way to place a bet here is on the Canucks to win this game and on the puckline to keep it close. 

Canucks Oilers Prediction:  Our NHL Pick for Saturday, May 18, 2024 (8:00 pm ET start time) is Canucks 4 Oilers 3.

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Vancouver Canucks: 8-14 (-7.2 units) on the moneyline off a close win by 1 goal over a division rival. 12-17 (-9.5 units) on the moneyline off a home win. 66-66 (-8.4 units) on the moneyline off a win or tie in their previous game. 24-17 OVER after 1 or more consecutive unders. 10-4 OVER in the 6th game of a playoff series. 6-3 OVER off a close home win by 1 goal. 

Edmonton Oilers: 78-34 (+23 units) on the moneyline vs. division opponents. 69-37 (+19.6 units) on the moneyline revenging a loss versus opponent. 23-9 (+5.1 units) on the moneyline off a loss against a division rival. 23-15 OVER as a # 2 seed in the playoffs. 10-3 OVER off a road loss against a division rival. 30-22 OVER revenging a loss vs opponent as a road favorite.

Vancouver Canucks:  C. Soucy (D) Elig Thurs - Suspension. T. Demko (G) Out indefinitely - Knee. T. Poolman (D) out for season - Migraine.

Edmonton Oilers:  A. Henrique (C) Out Tues - Lower Body.

“I thought we got off to a great start. I didn’t think we capitalized enough. We were real good in the first period, generating chances, generating power plays, and we didn’t do enough capitalizing early.” - Connor McDavid after their loss against the Canucks in game 5 of this series on Thursday.

“Almost every single guy gave us everything they had. Resilient. I thought the guys were terrific tonight. They really came to play. It thought it was obviously one of our best games in the playoffs.” - Rick Tocchet after his team’s win against the Oilers in game 5 of this series on Thursday.

LW Suter, Pius

C Miller, J.T.

RW Boeser, Brock

LD Hughes, Quinn

RD Hronek, Filip

G Silovs, Arturs

LW Nugent-Hopkins, Ryan

C McDavid, Connor

RW Hyman, Zach

LD Ekholm, Mattias

RD Bouchard, Evan

G Pickard, Calvin

Points: J. Miller (103)

Goals: B. Boeser (40)

Assists: Q. Hughes (75)

GAA: T. Demko (2.45)

Points: C. McDavid (132)

Goals: Z. Hyman (54)

Assists: C. McDavid (100)

GAA: C. Pickard (2.45)

Coaches:

Vancouver Canucks: Rick Tocchet (2nd season)

Edmonton Oilers: Kris Knoblauch (1st season)