Two teams that’ve disappointed this season, the Arizona Coyotes and the Vancouver Canucks take the ice at Rogers Arena for a Pacific Division matchup. Sportsnet ONE will showcase the matchup, which gets underway at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 7.
Arizona Coyotes at Vancouver Canucks Odds
The Canucks are 25-41 straight up (SU) and have recorded -9.2 units for moneyline bettors this year. That early-season winning percentage hasn’t moved much from what the team posted during the 2016-17 season (30-52). Through 66 regular season matches, 39 of the team’s games have gone over the total, while 27 have gone under and none have pushed. The team is 12-21 SU at home this season.
Vancouver has converted on 21.7 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that’s good enough for eighth-best in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is rated 27th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 77.2 percent of all penalties.
As a team, Vancouver has been penalized 3.8 times per game overall this season, 4.0 per game over its past five outings total, and 4.2 per game over its last five at home. The team’s had to kill penalties for just 8.5 minutes per game over its last 10 matchups, in total.
With a .909 save percentage and 26.0 saves per game, Jacob Markstrom (18-31-7) has been the primary goalkeeper for the Canucks this season. If they choose to give him the night off, however, it may turn to Anders Nilsson (7-16-16 record, .902 save percentage, 3.49 goals against average).
Brock Boeser and Daniel Sedin will both be focal points for the Canucks. Boeser (55 points) has tallied 29 goals and 26 assists and has recorded multiple points in 11 different games this year. Sedin has 21 goals and 25 assists to his credit and has recorded a point in 32 games.
Over on the other bench, Arizona is 20-45 straight up (SU) and has lost 19.0 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. Through 65 regular season contests, 34 of its games have gone under the total, while 30 have gone over and just one has pushed. As the road team, Arizona is 8-23 SU.
Arizona has converted on just 16.1 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that places it in the bottom-five overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 21st overall and it’s successfully killed off 79.4 percent of all opponent power plays.
Arizona’s skaters have been called for penalties only 3.3 times per game in total this season, and 4.4 per game over their last ten games. The team has been forced to stave off opponent power plays just 7.6 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Antti Raanta (26.8 saves per game) has been the primary option in goal for Arizona. Raanta has 16 wins, 23 losses, and six overtime losses to his credit, while registering a .924 save percentage and 2.43 goals against average this year.
Clayton Keller (17 goals, 29 assists) has been one of the top playmakers on offense for the visiting Coyotes.
Arizona Coyotes vs. Vancouver Canucks Betting Predictions
Free NHL Tip: SU Winner – Canucks, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Trends
Arizona is 1-5 in games decided by a shootout this season while Vancouver is 0-3 in shootouts.
The total has gone over in three of Vancouver’s last five outings.
Over Arizona’s last ten games, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-2 in those games).
Arizona skaters have accounted for the fourth-most hits in the league (24.6 per game).
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