We are at the stage of the NHL season when the good teams really start to separate and the teams outside the playoff races need to decide whether they want to become sellers as they look towards rebuilding their team for next year. The trade deadline in the NHL is now just 12 days away, which means that it’s decision time for every team in the league. The top teams may be looking to add a couple of parts before the playoffs, with those players coming from teams with no shot at getting in.
One team that might be in a selling mood are the Anaheim Ducks, as they now find themselves mired in the cellar in the Western Conference. It’s certainly strange to see the Ducks down there, as they have been one of the most dominant teams in the West over the last few years. This current skid suggests that it might be time to make some changes, with their situation potentially getting worse with a loss to the Vancouver Canucks, a team very much in the Wild Card hunt. The Canucks are favored by 1 ½, with the O/U set at 5 ½.
Canucks vs Ducks NHL Betting Lines & Game Analysis
TRADE ALERT: #Canucks have acquired Marek Mazanec from the New York Rangers in exchange for a 2020 7th Round Pick. https://t.co/UiUAAn31jk
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) 12 de febrero de 2019
- When: Wednesday, February 13 at 10:30 PM EST
- Where: Honda Center, Anaheim
- TV: ESPN+
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Betting Lines: Vancouver Canucks -130 (Total 5.5)
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Why bet on the Vancouver Canucks?
It has been inconsistency that has plagued the Vancouver Canucks this season, which is part of the reason why they are sitting below the playoff line, albeit just 2 points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. They have just 1 win in their last 5 games, with that lone victory being a surprising win over the Calgary Flames, which they then followed up with a 7-2 pounding at the hands of the Pacific Division-leading San Jose Sharks.
Overall, the Canucks are playing .500 hockey on the season, but they are 2 games below that mark at 12-14-4 on the road. They have already played Anaheim away from home this season, losing that one 4-3. On the plus side, Vancouver is a very solid 19-11 ATS away from home.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.88
- Shots: 29.21
- PP/PK Percentage: 16.11
Defense
- Goals: 3.18
- Shots: 31.19
- PP/PK Percentage: 20.21
Why bet on the Anaheim Ducks?
The Ducks were playing quite well in the early part of the season, but the wheels have come off in a big way, to the point where they are now 6 games below .500 and wallowing at the bottom of the Western Conference. This has never been a team that has scored a lot of goals, but their 2.27 GPG this season is low even for them.
The Ducks are mired in a 7-game losing skid coming into this one and have just 2 wins in their last 8 games. They have a habit of picking up points here and there by getting games to OT, as their 10-8-8 record at home this season clearly shows. That does not always translate to them being a good spread bet, though, as they are just 11-19 ATS in home games.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 2.27
- Shots: 27.48
- PP/PK Percentage: 14.86
Defense
- Goals: 3.25
- Shots: 34.32
- PP/PK Percentage: 20.33
Canucks vs Ducks NHL Betting Trends
- Vancouver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
- Vancouver is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Vancouver’s last 6 games on the road
- Anaheim is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
- Anaheim is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Anaheim’s last 6 games at home
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
The Anaheim Ducks look like a team that has already quit on this season, so I don’t expect to see much out of them here. 8 of the last 9 meetings between these two have delivered a total of 5 goals or less, so the UNDER may be a good option here.
Score: Vancouver Canucks 4 – Anaheim Ducks 1
