Penguins vs Canucks Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

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27 February 2024

Penguins vs Canucks Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

Situational spots in the NHL should not be overlooked and our NHL betting picks for tonight's Penguins vs. Canucks game offer the perfect opportunity. The Canucks are notoriously quick starters, and the Penguins may be asleep at the wheel to start their road trip.

The Vancouver Canucks snapped their season-long four-game losing streak on Saturday vs. the Bruins and will look to stay atop the Western Conference as the 38-16-6 Canucks welcome a banged-up Pittsburgh Penguin team that is crossing the country to begin a four-game West Coast trip.

The Cancuks have been the most profitable first-period team in hockey this year, and a date with the Pens who are missing two key offensive players and traveling across the country is a prime spot to continue to bet on the Nucks in the first 20 minutes.

I break down the NHL odds and offer my free best NHL picks for Penguins vs. Canucks for Tuesday, February 27.

Penguins vs Canucks odds

Penguins vs Canucks predictions

The Pittsburgh Penguins wrapped up a four-game home stand on Sunday in a wild 7-6 win over the Flyers and now begin a four-game West Coast trip with stops in Seattle, Calgary, and Edmonton.

Pittsburgh enters tonight having won five of its last 10 but has not returned a profit on the moneyline netting a loss of 2.12 units making them slightly overvalued of late. They also enter tonight without both of its top two wingers, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust both out for tonight.

The Pens are lacking scoring depth right now with second-line wingers Drew O’Connor and Valtteri Puustinen flanking Evgeni Malkin while Sidney Crosby is supported by Reilly Smith and Rickard Rakell. At home, these depth issues are easier to hide with the last change, but on the road in the first game of a cross-country road trip, this Pittsburgh offense is in trouble, especially early.

There is no better team in the first period than the Vancouver Canucks this year. They’ve scored the most first-period goals and have the best goal differential. The Western Conference-leading team has lost just six first frames over its last 36 games which is an incredible not-losing rate.

Vancouver also got in their first full practice on Sunday which was its first in 11 days.

With an offense missing pieces and a long trip that could result in some slow legs out of the gates, Vancouver is in a prime position to continue its first-frame success. Over their last 83 games, Vancouver is up 34 units (31% ROI) on first-period 3-way MLs.

My best bet: Vancouver first-period moneyline (+140 at SIA)

Penguins vs Canucks same-game parlay

Vancouver 1P -0.5

Vancouver moneyline

Nothing extravagant here, just a little wire-to-wire win for the best team in the Western Conference. Pittsburgh is two bad losses away from being a seller at the deadline while the Canucks are back home, have ended a rough losing streak, and get a massive travel advantage.

Injuries are another thing Pittsburgh needs to worry about. Outside of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, there is not a lot of scoring talent on this roster. This team is wildly thin on the wings and has to face a legit Vezina candidate in Thatcher Demko. This is a great spot for the Canucks to get up early and not look back.

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Penguins vs Canucks moneyline and Over/Under analysis

Tonight will be Vancouver’s second game of a three-game homestand after a tough winless three-game road trip over four days. Vancouver opened at -160 at SIA and moved five points longer to -155 while some other books have moved the other way to -160.

It’s tough to get excited about the Penguins tonight. They just played on the East Coast on Sunday in a game that likely gave head coach Mike Sullivan a heart attack in the 7-6 victory. They are also missing both of their top wingers, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust.

It’s an offense that was scoring at the 27th rate before the outburst vs. the Flyers and now faces Thatcher Demko and a Vancouver team that is one of the better teams in hockey at expected goals allowed/60 at 5-on-5.

This is still a battle of a Vancouver team that is tied for the league-lead in point percentage vs. the Penguins who currently sits nine points out of a playoff spot. Pittsburgh might be a bit unlucky with a plus-15 goal differential on the season but a 26-29 SU record but it’s a far cry from Vancouver’s 38-22 SU record and a league-best plus-52 goal differential.

Pittsburgh has not announced a starter at the time of writing, but Tristan Jarry will likely get the nod. He allowed all six goals Sunday vs. Philadelphia and has been worse on the road with a 6-11 SU record on the year.

The special teams edge is also with the Canucks as the Pens’ power play is only better than four other teams in the league on the year.

The total has moved a lot since opening at 6.5 and now sitting at 6, -105 to the Under. Vancouver has been one of the best Over teams in hockey this year at 34-23-3 O/U but Pittsburgh is 19-33-3 O/U on the year and is 3-7 O/U in the last 10. They’re missing key offensive players and the long travel won’t help them early.

This total might see a little late Over money considering the Pens’ last game and Vancouver’s record, but the 6.5 is long gone as it should be.

Penguins vs Canucks betting trend to know

The Vancouver Canucks have hit the 1P Moneyline in 48 of their last 83 games (+34.30 Units / 31% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Penguins vs. Canucks.

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