Two teams facing each other for the first time this season, the Vancouver Canucks and the Pittsburgh Penguins collide at PPG Paints Arena for an East-West showdown. The match will get underway at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 16, and you can catch the game live on Sportsnet ONE.
Vancouver Canucks at Pittsburgh Penguins Odds
Vancouver (+190) is currently the underdog to Pittsburgh (-230) and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 7 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -105 money on the over and -115 for the under.
Vancouver is 3-2 straight up (SU) and has netted 3.4 units for moneyline bettors this season. That SU winning percentage, ranked second in the Pacific Division so far this season, represents a welcome improvement compared to how the team performed during last year’s regular season (31-51). Three of its matches have gone over the total, while two have gone under. The Nucks are 2-2 SU as a road team in 2018-19.
The Canucks have converted on 26.3 percent of their power play chances so far. That’s a noticeable improvement from last year, when they were ranked eighth in the league by converting on 21.5 percent of their extra-man advantages. Their penalty kill has also gotten stronger, as they’ve gone from successfully defending 78.6 percent of opponents’ power plays (ranked 21st overall last season) to 88.0 percent this year.
The Nucks, as a collective unit, have been whistled for penalties 5.4 times per game during the 2018-19 season, a number that’s regressed noticeably from last year’s 3.7 penalties per game. After serving an average of 8.7 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team’s had to kill penalties for 11.4 minutes per matchup this season.
Sporting a .883 save percentage and 30.3 saves per game, Jacob Markstrom (1-2) has been the primary option in goal for Vancouver this year. If Vancouver decides to rest him, however, the team might turn to Anders Nilsson (2-0 record, .950 save percentage, 1.51 goals against average).
Elias Pettersson and Alexander Edler will both lead the way for the visiting Canucks. Pettersson has eight points on five goals and three assists this season while Edler has zero goal and five assists to his name through the early stages of the regular season.
Over on the other bench, Pittsburgh is 2-2 straight up (SU) and has lost 2.3 units for moneyline bettors thus far. Two of its outings have gone over the total, while one has gone under and one has pushed. This year, the team is 2-1 SU as the home team.
The Penguins have killed off an impressive 92.3 percent of all penalties, a few points up from the 80.4 percent they recorded a year ago (when they were ranked 14th overall). They have found the net on 25.0 percent of their power plays this year after converting on 25.7 percent (ranked first in league) last season.
Penguins players have been penalized 3.3 times per game this season. Last year, that number was at 4.0, the eighth-highest mark in the NHL. After serving an average of 9.4 penalty minutes per game a year ago, the team’s had to kill penalties for only 6.5 minutes per outing this season.
Casey DeSmith has stopped 36.0 shots per game as the top selection in goal for the Penguins. DeSmith has one win, one loss, and one overtime loss to his name and has registered a .935 save percentage and 2.40 goals against average this season.
Evgeni Malkin (one goal, seven assists) will lead the offensive attack for Pittsburgh.
Vancouver Canucks at Pittsburgh Penguins Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Penguins, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Notes
After going 2-2 in games decided by a shootout last year, the Penguins are off to a 0-1 start in shootouts this season. Vancouver went 0-5 in shootouts last year and has yet to participate in one this time around.
The total has gone over in three of Vancouver’s last five games.
Vancouver skaters recorded 21.3 hits per game last season, while the Pens logged 24.6 hits per matchup.
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