Squaring off for the final time this season, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vancouver Canucks face off at Rogers Arena in an East-West matchup. CBC Sports will showcase the game, which gets going at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 27.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Vancouver Canucks Odds
Earning 6.3 units for moneyline bettors, Vancouver is 6-5 straight up (SU) overall in the 2018-19 season. That winning percentage, the best in the Pacific Division in this young season, is a remarkable improvement over the 31-51 record from the 2017-18 season campaign. Of its 11 regular season outings, seven have gone under the total, while four have gone over and none have pushed. The team is 2-1 SU at home thus far.
The Canucks have converted on 20.0 percent of their power play chances this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked ninth overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 83.7 percent of all penalties.
As a collective unit, the Canucks have been penalized 4.8 times per game this season, a number that’s climbed some from the 3.7 penalties per game they gave up last year. After serving an average of 8.7 penalty minutes per game a season ago the team has had to kill penalties for a noteworthy 12.4 minutes per outing this year.
Averaging 27.5 saves per game with a .912 save percentage, Anders Nilsson (3-3) has been the principal option in goal for Vancouver this season. If Vancouver decides to give him a breather, however, the team may turn to Jacob Markstrom (3-2-2 record, .911 save percentage, 2.93 goals against average).
Bo Horvat and Elias Pettersson will both lead the offensive attack for the Canucks. Horvat (nine points) has tallied seven goals and two assists and has recorded two or more points two times this year. Pettersson has five goals and three assists to his credit and has notched at least one point in four contests.
On the visitors’ side of the rink, Pittsburgh is 5-3 straight up (SU) and has lost 1.4 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through eight regular season matches, four of its games have gone over the total, while three have gone under the total and just one has pushed. The Penguins are 3-1 SU as the road team this season.
The Pens have scored on 35.0 percent of their power play chances this year after converting on 25.7 percent of their extra-man opportunities in 2017-18 (when the team ranked first league-wide in that category). The team has gone from successfully defending 80.4 percent of opponent power plays (ranked 14th overall last season) to 86.4 percent this year.
Pittsburgh’s skaters have been whistled for penalties only 3.0 times per game this season. Last year, that number was at 4.0, which was the eighth-highest mark in the league. After serving an average of 9.4 penalty minutes per game a year ago (ninth-most in the league), the team has been forced to kill penalties for just 6.4 minutes per matchup this season.
Matt Murray (34.2 saves per game) has been the primary option in the net for Pittsburgh. Murray owns a 4-1 record, while registering a .910 save percentage and 3.37 goals against average this year.
Evgeni Malkin (three goals, 12 assists) has been one of the most vital playmaking threats for the visiting Penguins.
Pittsburgh Penguins at Vancouver Canucks Free Picks
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Notes
Betting Trends
The total has gone under in four of Vancouver’s last five games.
Pittsburgh skaters recorded 24.6 hits per game last season, while the Nucks logged 21.3 hits per matchup.
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