The 2021-22 NHL season goes on Thursday, March 3, 2022, with the interconference clash from UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, so we have prepared the best Canucks vs. Islanders betting pick along with the latest team stats and news.
Vancouver and New York close down their two-game regular-season set, and the Islanders are listed as small -115 moneyline favorites on Fanduel NY Sportsbook. Back on February 9, the Islanders defeated the Canucks 6-3 as -135 road favorites with a total of 5.0 goals.
The Canucks just stopped their three-game win streak        Â
The Vancouver Canucks (26-23-6) are coming off a heavy 7-2 defeat at the New Jersey Devils this past Monday. Playing on the second night of a back-to-back set, the Canucks ran out of gas, allowing their rivals to score three times in the first period. It was their second defeat in the last seven outings at any location, as Vancouver put an end to its three-game winning streak.
Jaroslav Halak guarded the cage against the Devils and yielded six goals on just 14 shots, while Thatcher Demko posted 18 saves in relief. Demko will get the starting call Thursday at UBS Arena, and he’s 23-16-2 with a 2.59 GAA and .918 save percentage in 2021-22.
The Canucks allow 2.82 goals per game (13th in the NHL), posting the worst penalty-killing percentage in the league (70.4%). They score only 2.75 goals in a return (23rd) on an 8.5 shooting percentage (27th). Center J.T. Miller leads the way for Vancouver with 20 goals and 40 assists in 53 appearances, and he’s recorded at least an assist in seven straight outings.
The Islanders open a six-game homestand         Â
The New York Islanders (20-22-8) wrapped up their five-game road trip last Tuesday, suffering a 5-3 defeat at the mighty Colorado Avalanche. It was their third loss in the last four outings and seventh in the previous ten, as the Islanders failed to cope with one of the best offensive teams in the league.
New York had a 3-2 lead at the end of the second period at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. The Islanders fell apart in the third, allowing the Avs to finish the game with a whopping 43 shots. Ilya Sorokin had 38 saves but fell to 17-12-7 on the season.
Sorokin is expected to get another starting call Thursday. He owns a solid 2.42 GAA and .922 save percentage. The Islanders surrender 2.74 goals per game (8th in the NHL), but they score only 2.54 in a return (27th). Center Mathew Barzal is their top scorer with 12 goals and 25 assists in 45 appearances.
Trends:
Vancouver:
- 5-2 in the last seven games overall
NY Islanders:
- 3-7 in the last ten games overall
Vancouver Canucks vs. New York Islanders Pick
The Islanders will almost certainly miss the postseason. Mathew Barzal is doubtful to play Thursday against the Canucks, as he’s recovering from a lower-body injury, so I have to look at Vancouver in this spot.
The Canucks are still alive in the playoff chase, trailing the N. 8 seed in the West by six points. Thatcher Demko has emerged victorious in five of his previous six starts, so the Islanders’ offense will have a tall task in this matchup.
Pick: Take Vancouver Canucks at +104
The Total:
Both Canucks and Islanders are capable of playing tough defense. I’ve mentioned Thatcher Demko’s recent form, while Ilya Sorokin hasn’t been bad at all. Hereof, give me the under on the totals, as I’m expecting both teams to struggle on the offensive end.
The betting trends are not helping a lot. The under is 12-2 in New York’s last 14 games at home, but Vancouver’s last six games overall have gone over the total. Also, the over is 8-1 in the last nine encounters between the Islanders and Canucks.
Pick: Go under 5.5 goals at -119
