A pair of teams from Canada will be all the rage on Friday, as the Calgary Flames clash with the Vancouver Canucks. Join us for our NHL odds series where our Flames-Canucks prediction and pick will be made.
It all comes down to this! With only seven games remaining, the Flames have secured back-to-back victories and now sit only two points behind the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. Overall, Calgary has won three of their last four games and are in must-win mode the rest of the way.
As for the Canucks, Vancouver sits 11 points back and though they have yet to be mathematically eliminated, they are facing an uphill climb at snapping their multiple-year postseason drought. However, Vancouver has won five of their last seven games and seem to be trending in the right direction.
Here are the Flames-Canucks NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Flames-Canucks Odds
Calgary Flames: -1.5 (+184)
Vancouver Canucks: +1.5 (-225)
Over: 6.5 (-120)
Under: 6.5 (-102)
How To Watch Flames vs. Canucks
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 10:00 ET/7:00 PT
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Flames Could Cover The Spread
In order for the Flames to secure a big-time late season win while also covering the spread in the meantime, they will need to do their best to stick to what they have been excelling at as of late.
In their two straight wins coming against the Kings and Sharks, goalie Jacob Markstrom has put on his best impersonation of the Great Wall of China, as he has only allowed four total goals over the course of his last six periods played.
Without a doubt, Markstrom could serve as the ultimate equalizer against a Canucks squad that has found a way to score ten goals in its previous pair of games.
Clearly, Markstrom being able to stand on his head in between the posts will prove to be critical, but most importantly, Calgary cannot afford to go ice cold on offense. On paper, the Canucks are not an elite defensive team, especially when it comes to their ability to kill off power-plays.
In fact, Vancouver boasts the worst penalty-killing unit in all of North America, as the Canucks only manage to prevent shorthanded goals 70% of the time. Alas, if Calgary can find some good looks leading to superb scoring opportunities in the crease, then the Flames should benefit greatly.
Why The Canucks Could Cover The Spread
In the midst of a winning stretch that is serving as one last run at a playoff spot for this Canucks roster, the good news for bettors planning to wager on Vancouver is the fact that they are a surprising 42-32 against the spread this season.
Obviously, this is quite a different trend than what their overall record sits at, but this will be an important note to keep in mind.
Outside of the fact that the Canucks know how to cover and make bettors some money, their focus needs to be on getting off to a better start than they did in their overtime loss to the Blues.
Trailing 5-3 at the conclusion of the second period, Vancouver was able to rally in impressive fashion before they ran out of steam in overtime.
Simply put, storming out of the gates and obtaining a first-period lead in front of their home fans should be a main priority in Vancouver's pursuit to cover and come out on top.
Above all else, receiving some more steady play from defenseman Quinn Hughes could also be the team's saving grace by the end of the night.
In fact, Hughes is one of the more offensively-sound defensemen that the league has to offer, as he has a knack for finding the open skater for scoring chances- or even firing shots on goals from the blue line with the hopes that a teammate will tip the flying puck for a score.
As it stands, Hughes leads the club with 65 assists on the season, which is the sixth-most in that category throughout all of hockey.
Final Flames-Canucks Prediction & Pick
Technically, both sides' playoff chances are still alive, but the Flames obviously have the better chance in grasping a wild card at this point in time. They will play at a more desperate level in this one to take care of business and get the job done.
Final Flames-Canucks Prediction & Pick: Flames -1.5 (+184)
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