NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Devils vs. Canucks Pick, Best Bet (November 1)

Devils vs. Canucks Odds

We have what should be an exciting and fast-paced matchup with the Pacific Division's Vancouver Canucks hosting the Metropolitan Division's New Jersey Devils. Last season, the over hit in both of the meetings between these two clubs.

Will we get another high-scoring affair, or can the goaltending step up this time around?

One Big Question for the Devils

The New Jersey Devils enter this contest in outstanding form, as they have won three straight games and six of their last seven. Primarily, their dynamite offense should get the credit for this great stretch of hockey.

Over those seven games, they are averaging 3.9 goals scored per game. At 5v5 this season, New Jersey ranks seventh in the league in goals for per 60 minutes (GF/60). Despite this great offensive production, further positive regression should be around the corner as they rank first in the league in xGF/60 but 29th in finishing at 5v5.

However, goaltending is really the only question mark for this club moving forward. Projected to start between the pipes is goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, who is making his first start in a week due to an upper-body injury. Through five starts this season, Blackwood is 3-2 with a .871 SV% and 2.82 GAA.

Among starting goaltenders, he ranks just 29th in goals saved above expected per 60 minutes (GSAx/60) at 5v5. Under coach Lindy Ruff, this team loves to play north as quickly as possible.

With the young talent they have in a system that benefits fast-paced offense, the Devils have typically been involved in high-scoring games as the over went 46-32 last year. At 5v5 last season, New Jersey ranked 10th in the league in xGF but just 22nd in expected goals against (xGA).

Getting Defensive in Vancouver

Like New Jersey, the Vancouver Canucks enter this contest in solid form. After starting the season in disastrous fashion, there have now been fewer jerseys thrown on the ice (an official metric courtesy of Sartori Labs) as the Canucks have rattled off two straight wins over the Seattle Kraken and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Despite firing off their first two victories of the year, there still should be concerns moving forward with this group, especially defensively. At 5v5 this season, Vancouver ranks just 22nd in the league in both GA/60 and xGA/60.

To be fair, this defense is thin due to the injuries that have been mounting up. Travis Dermott has yet to play a game this year due to a concussion while Tucker Poolman has not played in two weeks with an undisclosed injury.

Riley Stillman and Quinn Hughes are both projected to return to the lineup on Tuesday, although those two defensemen actually increase offensive efficiency while decreasing the quality of play in the defensive zone. Backing up this poor defense is goaltender Thatcher Demko, who is projected to get the start between the pipes in this contest.

While Demko has traditionally been a very strong netminder and I believe he will figure things out, he has had a brutal start to the season. Through seven starts, he is 1-5-1 with a .874 SV% and 4.05 GAA.

Among starting goaltenders, Demko ranks 18th in GSAx/60 at 5v5.

Devils vs. Canucks Pick

There is more than enough talent on each side of the ice to get this game to seven total goals scored. New Jersey's offense has been firing recently as Jesper Bratt continues to develop into one of the league's better playmakers while Jack Hughes and company continue to stuff the net.

On the other side, Vancouver has enough firepower to keep up in a high-scoring game with the likes of Elias Pettersson, Andrei Kuzmenko, J.T. Miller, and the return of Quinn Hughes. Meanwhile, I do not currently trust either of the projected starting goaltenders to silence two quality offenses.

Pick: Over 6.5 (-110) | Play up to (-130)