Chicago Blackhawks vs Vancouver Canucks Betting Picks

Vancouver is 34-25-2 OVER this season and the Canucks are 4-1-1 OVER their past six games, including their 6-4 loss to Carolina on Wednesday. They have allowed 15 goals in three games. Nikita Tolopilo is the likely starter and he is 3-5-2 with a 3.27 goals-against average for Vancouver. Four of the past six meetings with Chicago have gone OVER. The Canucks are last in the league allowing 3.68 goals per game. Spencer Knight has lost his past four starts for the Blackhawks although he hasn't gotten much support from his teammates as he has yielded 11 goals in that span. Vancouver has allowed at least five goals in five of six games. Take the OVER.

Chicago plays its fourth straight on the road. They've lost the first three, with the defense surrendering 12 goals. The offense is 10th in the league in shooting percentage, while the defense is 15th in penalty killing. Vancouver comes home from a three-game road trip, winning twice, including a 5-4 victory at Nashville in the last game. The defense is 27th in penalty killing and 23rd in goals allowed. Vancouver is on an 8-3-1 run OVER the total, and when these teams last met at this arena, the Canucks won 6-2. Take Chicago/Vancouver OVER the total. 

After spending the last few years in the wilderness, the Blackhawks are giving reason for optimism with a blend of youth and talent. Chicago is looking to win its third straight game, having held the Blues and Mammoth to a combined four goals during its past two games. Now comes Vancouver. Hit the brakes. The Blackhawks aren't scoring eight goals like they did against the Blues two days ago. Chicago has scored 17 goals in its last 11 games against the Canucks. That is an average of 1.5 goals a game. The Blackhawks have lost 10 in a row to Vancouver. The Canucks lack any notable offensive stars. They rely on a balanced attack and solid defense. Vancouver should be very methodical here after pulling off a 5-3 upset road win against the Stars last night. The Canucks came back from a 2-0 deficit, exerting considerable offensive energy. Now they have to play without rest, which means a conservative game plan. Projected Chicago starting goalie Spencer Knight should be able to keep the Canucks at bay. Knight has posted a .920 save percentage and a 2.35 goals-against average across three starts. He has looked good so far on high-danger shots. Take the UNDER.