The Vancouver Canucks will be trying to force a decisive Game 7 when they continue their Western Conference second-round series with the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday as +200 underdogs on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
A stellar playoff debut by goaltender Thatcher Demko proved to be the difference as Vancouver tallied a narrow 2-1 win on Tuesday to cut Vegas’ series lead to 3-2 going into Thursday night’s matchup at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
Demko got the call after starter Jacob Markstrom was deemed unfit to play, and turned aside 42 of the 43 shots he faced to seal the win. But while Vancouver’s Game 5 victory has increased the pressure on Vegas to close out the series on Thursday, the Canucks remain lengthy underdogs to complete the comeback, sporting +700 odds on the NHL playoff series prices.
With just 17 shots on goal in Game 5 the Canucks have now been outshot by double-digit margins on three occasions so far in the series, but have managed to earn the win in two of those contests. That is cause for concern for the Canucks, who have scored just two goals per game in the series, and two or fewer goals in five of nine outings. Vancouver must also overcome its recent lack of success when facing elimination in a Game 6 matchup, posting losses in each of its past three such outings.
While it remains uncertain as to who will be between the pipes for Vancouver on Thursday night, the Golden Knights remain set as strong -240 favourites at online betting sites to earn the win and claim a berth in the Western Conference Final. Vegas has avoided consecutive losses in 26 outings since early February, and has not lost three in a row since mid-January, fueling their continued strong -1200 odds to eventually knock off the Canucks.
Earlier on Thursday night, the New York Islanders will once again be aiming to eliminate the Philadelphia Flyers when they hit the ice for Game 6 of that series as slender -115 favourites.
The Islanders missed their chance to finish off the Flyers on Tuesday. After erasing a two-goal third-period deficit, New York dropped a 4-3 overtime decision. However, the Islanders have earned the win in seven straight Game 6 situations they entered with a 3-2 series lead, buoying their position as -450 chalk on the series prices.
The Flyers are listed as -105 underdogs for Thursday, and will be looking to post consecutive wins for just the second time since the start of the first round of playoff action.
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