Canucks vs. Oilers: NHL Playoffs Odds & Picks: Saturday (5/18)
Just one game tonight; can the Oilers extend this series, or will the Canucks close it out and face the Stars in the Western Conference Finals? Let’s look a the best bet for this game.
Saturday’s Best NHL Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Vancouver Canucks (+160) at Edmonton Oilers (-192) | O/U 6 (-122/+102)
This series has been nothing short of exciting, and every game has been exhilarating until the last second. It was Game 4 where the Oilers grabbed the game-winning goal with under a minute left; the Canucks would pull that trick on them in Game 5 when J.T. Miller hit the back of the net and moved within one game of the Western Conference Finals. The biggest credit goes to the Vancouver defense for their best showing; they went 5-for-5 on the Penalty Kill, held Edmonton to 23 shots, and, in the second, held them without a full-strength shot on goal for nearly the entire period.
The pressure is now on for the Oilers. They are long enough into this era with this group where they need to be in the mix for a championship and not have early exits. Their big guns could not attack the net as Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, and Zach Hyman were each held to just two shots on goal. Guys like Draisaitl can hit a shot from 20 feet out, but even on the missed shots, Edmonton wasn’t pressuring the crease on the rebound.
We’re seeing this Edmonton offense start to struggle and they do not have the ability to win games solely on their defense. While they do have home ice, it really hasn’t made an impact as they are 2-2 in this postseason. However, we’ve seen the Vancouver fans make the trip and they are 4-1 on the road. Look for the Canucks to close it out tonight.
Pick: Canucks Moneyline (+160)