Edmonton Oilers vs Vancouver Canucks Betting Picks

Vancouver finished last in the NHL a season ago with 58 points, and Manny Malhotra's first game behind the bench comes without Thatcher Demko, who opens the year on injured reserve as he works back from hip surgery. That hands the net to Kevin Lankinen (probable for tonight), who went 11-27 with an .875 save percentage last season. The skaters in front of him allowed 316 goals, 17 more than any other team, while scoring the third-fewest in the league. Edmonton has a real flaw of its own. The Oilers ranked 25th in goals allowed, and Tristan Jarry had a rough first stretch after arriving from Pittsburgh. Vancouver doesn't have the finishing to punish it. Edmonton won three of four meetings last season and outscored the Canucks 18-6, including two blowout wins by five goals or more. The one loss came in overtime, and that's the real risk when you lay a high price, but it takes a lot for a team this thin to drag Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to a coin-flip finish. Mike Babcock's debut should play out like this matchup did most of last year. Book Edmonton on the moneyline tonight.

Edmonton has a great opportunity to snap a two-game skid as it heads to Vancouver to play the Canucks, who have lost nine in a row while averaging just 1.9 goals per game. Also, the Canucks just concluded a 0-6 road trip in a 10-day span. Vancouver is #28 in the NHL scoring, averaging 2.60 goals, and #31 in goals against, allowing 3.60. The Canucks are 0-4 with one day of rest, 0-4 against teams with losing records, and 0-4 following a loss by at least 3 goals. The Oilers have won six of seven after scoring two or fewer goals in their previous game. Tristan Jarry has won three of four starts since being acquired from Pittsburgh, and he is 12-3-2 with a 2.80 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage this season. Kevin Lankinen is 6-13-4 with a 3.36 GAA for Vancouver, and he is the expected starter. Take the Oilers.

Edmonton won the first meeting 3-1 on Oct. 11 and it will look to extend Vancouver's three-game losing streak while bouncing back from Saturday's 3-2 loss at Seattle. The Canucks are 1-7 and 1-7 UNDER their past eight Sunday games and 2-5 their past seven home games dating to last season. Vancouver has gone UNDER seven of 10 against the Western Conference, four of five versus the Pacific Division. The Oilers have won 13 of 17 Western Conference games and five of the past six meetings with the Canucks. The Oilers are 7-0-1 UNDER in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation. Vancouver has scored just five goals its past three games. Calvin Pickard (2-1-0) is probable in net for Edmonton. Take the Oilers and the UNDER.