Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks: Game Preview, Predictions, Odds, Betting Tips & more

Sportskeeda

17 December 2023

Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks: Game Preview, Predictions, Odds, Betting Tips & more

The Chicago Blackhawks (9-19-1) will host the Vancouver Canucks (20-9-2) at the United Center in Chicago on Sunday, Dec 17, at 3 p.m. ET. This promises to be a battle of two teams looking to bounce back.

Vancouver lost on Dec 16, succumbing 2-1 to the Minnesota Wild on the road, with the shootout concluding 1-0. Meanwhile, in their latest match on Dec 14, Chicago suffered a harrowing 7-1 defeat on the road against the Seattle Kraken.

Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks: Game preview

The Vancouver Canucks' are 20-9-2 after their loss to Minnesota. Despite tying the score in the second period, Vancouver couldn't secure the win in the shootout. Outshooting Minnesota 36-31, the Canucks faced challenges on the power play, going 0-5.

Previously, the team enjoyed a four-game winning streak against Florida, Tampa Bay, Carolina, and Minnesota. Vancouver averages 3.83 goals per game, concedes 2.47 goals against, and boasts a 26.7% power play success and a 76.6% penalty kill efficiency.

J.T. Miller leads the team with 15 goals, 28 assists, and 71 shots on goal. The projected starting goalie, Thatcher Demko, holds a 15-7-0 record, with a 2.31 GAA and a .923 save percentage.

Conversely, the Chicago Blackhawks, with a current season record of 9-19-1, faced a decisive 7-1 loss to Seattle in their most recent game. Despite narrowing the score to 2-1 after trailing 2-0 in the first period, Chicago couldn't stop Seattle going on a five-goal spree.

Despite being outshot 29-22 and going 0-1 on the power play, the Blackhawks' struggles extend beyond this game, with losses to Edmonton and Washington in their recent streak.

The team averages 2.31 goals per game while allowing 3.59 goals against, with a 9.9% success rate on the power play and a 75.8% penalty kill efficiency. Connor Bedard leads Chicago with 12 goals, 12 assists, and 89 shots on goal.

Their projected starting goalie, Petr Mrazek, holds a 7-9-0 record this season, maintaining a 3.04 GAA and a .910 save percentage.

Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks: Head-to-head and key numbers

The Blackhawks and Canucks have met in a total of 229 games, combining regular season and playoffs.
The Blackhawks maintain an overall record of 106-96-22-5 (51.1%) against the Canucks.
Currently, the Blackhawks find themselves on a four-game losing streak against the Canucks.
In regular season encounters, the Blackhawks hold a 90-84-22-5 (50.2%) record against the Vancouver Canucks.
The Chicago Blackhawks' longest winning streak over the Canucks spans 10 games, commencing with a 5-2 victory on Mar 13, 1994, and concluding on Nov 9, 1995, encompassing both regular season and playoff fixtures.
The Canucks exhibit the NHL's 15th-ranked faceoff win rate at 50.5%, while the Blackhawks sit at 45.8%, placing them 30th in the league in the category.
Vancouver leads the league with a 13.3% team shooting percentage, contrasting with the Blackhawks' 8.5% shooting percentage, which ranks 31st.
The Canucks have achieved four shutouts this season, with an average of 19.8 hits and 15.0 blocked shots per game. In the current season, the Blackhawks have secured one shutout.

Vancouver Canucks vs. Chicago Blackhawks: Odds and prediction

In the current season, Vancouver has demonstrated its prowess as a favorite this NHL season, winning 11 out of 15 games in that category.

The Canucks have been particularly successful in games with odds shorter than -224, clinching victory in three out of four instances.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks have faced the challenge of being the underdog in 29 games this season. They have managed to secure upset wins in nine of those matchups, resulting in a commendable 31.0% success rate.

Specifically, when the Blackhawks face odds of +179 or longer as the underdog, they have won five out of 14 games, translating to a win probability of 35.8%.