Vancouver Canucks vs. Anaheim Ducks Game Preview

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The Honda Center is playing host a divisional tilt as the Anaheim Ducks welcome the visiting Vancouver Canucks. Sportsnet Pacific will broadcast the matchup, and the opening face-off is at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 14.

Vancouver Canucks at Anaheim Ducks Odds

Anaheim (-240) is currently favored over Vancouver (+200), and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -125 under, +105 over.

Anaheim is 34-36 straight up (SU) and has recorded -4.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. That early-season winning percentage is a regression from the 46-36 record that the team posted during last year’s regular season campaign. Through 70 regular season contests, 42 of the team’s games have gone under the total, while 27 have gone over and just one has pushed. The team’s 19-15 SU at home this year.

The Ducks have converted on just 17.8 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a mark that places them in the bottom-10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked eighth overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 82.6 percent of all penalties.

The Ducks, as a collective unit, have been penalized 4.3 times per game overall this season, and 3.2 per game over their last five outings at home. The team’s had to stave off opponent power plays for just 7.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings, overall.

With a .924 save percentage and 29.4 saves per game, John Gibson (26-25-7) has been the primary goalkeeper for the Ducks this year. If the Ducks choose to give him a breather, however, head coach Randy Carlyle may turn to Ryan Miller (10-14-14 record, .926 save percentage, 2.49 goals against average).

The Ducks will continue looking for offensive production via Rickard Rakell and Ryan Getzlaf. Rakell (59 points) has tallied 30 goals and 29 assists and has recorded multiple points on 18 different occasions this year. Getzlaf has 10 goals and 41 assists to his credit and has notched a point in 27 contests.

On the other side of the rink, Vancouver is 25-45 straight up (SU) and has lost 13.6 units for moneyline bettors thus far. A total of 40 of its games have gone over the total, while 30 have gone under and none have pushed. As the away team, the Canucks are 13-22 SU.

The Canucks have scored on 21.1 percent of their power play chances this season, a figure that places it in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 25th overall and it’s successfully killed off 77.3 percent of all penalties.

Vancouver’s skaters have been penalized 3.8 times per game this season, and 3.0 per game over their last five outings. The team’s been forced to kill penalties just 6.6 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.

Jacob Markstrom (26.1 saves per game) has been the primary choice in goal for Vancouver. Markstrom has 18 wins, 33 losses, and seven OT losses to his credit, while registering a .910 save percentage and 2.74 goals against average this year.

Leading the offensive attack for the visiting Canucks will be Brock Boeser (29 goals, 26 assists) and Daniel Sedin (21 goals, 26 assists).

Vancouver Canucks vs. Anaheim Ducks Betting Picks

Pick: SU Winner – Ducks, O/U – Under

Betting Notes

  • Over Anaheim’s last ten outings, eight of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 5-3 in those games).
  • Vancouver has averaged 2.6 goals per game overall this season, but is down to 0.8 goals per matchup over its last four games (0-4 SU over that span).
  • Power-play opportunities could prove to be critical in this game. The Canucks are 9-12 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 15-33 when they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes. The Ducks are 7-13 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 17-19 when they’re in the box for less than 10 minutes.
  • Vancouver is 0-3 in games decided by a shootout this season while Anaheim is 4-7 in shootouts.
  • The over has hit in three of Anaheim’s last five games.
  • Anaheim has averaged 2.8 goals per game (overall) this season, but has been averaging 1.7 goals per matchup over its three-game losing skid.
  • Anaheim has averaged 13.2 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 10.0 giveaways per game (ranked 21st overall).
  • Vancouver has averaged 6.8 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 8.2 giveaways per game (ranked ninth in the league).
  • The Ducks this season have recorded the sixth-most hits in the NHL (24.2 per game).