The Vancouver Canucks will be looking to end a two-game losing streak as they kick off a seven-game road trip in Toronto on Saturday night as +197 underdogs on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Vancouver closed out a four-game homestand on Tuesday with a discouraging 5-0 loss to Anaheim as a +115 underdog, and has recorded victories in just two of 12 contests ahead of its betting matchup at the Air Canada Centre against the Maple Leafs.
The Canucks’ current 2-9-1 slide includes three straight road defeats, and has dumped the club into 14th place in the Western Conference standings — 10 points out of playoff contention. Vancouver has also struggled defensively during a 1-4-2 run on the road, allowing 4.1 goals per game, resulting in six straight wins for the OVER in totals betting.
However, the play of rookie Brock Boeser has provided Canucks fans with something to cheer about. The 20-year-old has 38 points on the season, including nine goals and three assists in his past 10 road contests, and is a strong +115 favourite on the Calder Trophy odds.
The Maple Leafs look to build on Thursday’s 3-2 shootout victory over the visiting San Jose Sharks as -129 chalk as they host Vancouver as -220 favourites. Toronto has picked up just four wins over its past 11 outings. However, the Maple Leafs have thrived on home cooking, earning two points in four of five dates at the ACC while surrendering two or fewer goals in each of those outings.
Toronto has also posted four straight wins over the Canucks on home ice, but dropped a 2-1 decision as a -147 favourite in a Dec. 2 matchup in Vancouver.
Earlier on Saturday, the Edmonton Oilers open an important five-game road trip in Dallas as +127 underdogs on the odds.
The Oilers halted a four-game slide with a 2-1 victory over the Ducks as -127 home favourites on Thursday to move two points up on Vancouver in the standings, and are 6-3-0 in their past nine road dates. However, Edmonton faces a Stars squad that has won five of six at home, and enters Saturday’s matchup as strong -140 chalk.
Elsewhere on the Saturday NHL board, the Ottawa Senators host the league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning as heavy +175 underdogs, while the Calgary Flames will try to win three in a row for the first time since early November as they host the Ducks as narrow -113 favourites.
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