Desperate Canucks Look for Spark vs Maple Leafs

The panic levels are rising in Vancouver as the Canucks have now lost four in a row and are getting blown out almost every night. On Monday, they finish off a three-game series with the North Division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs and opened as heavy underdogs.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The game opened with the Leafs as favorites at -190 and that line has shifted even further in the Leafs’ favor. It can now be found in the -193 to -215 range. The total opened at 6.5 with the OVER the favorite in the -115 range and has stayed that way at most sportsbooks.

Vancouver News & Notes

Offense is not a problem for the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver leads the league in high-danger scoring chances, overall scoring chances and goals at even strength. The top players on the team have been getting plenty of heat from the media but they are producing on the offensive end.

The problems with the Canucks are on defense. While leading the league in those three key categories, the Canucks are also the worst in the league in those same three categories on the defensive end. No team has allowed more goals at even strength than Vancouver’s 41. Twenty-eight teams have allowed fewer than 30.

The defensive pairing of Quinn Hughes and Jordie Benn has been particularly poor defensively as their seven goals against at 5-on-5 is tied for third-most in the league. The pairing of Alex Edler and Jalen Chatfield is tied for fourth-most. Goaltender Thatcher Demko, who allowed seven goals to Toronto last Thursday, is likely to get the start in this game.

Toronto News & Notes

Through 12 games, the Maple Leafs power play is running at an otherworldly 38.5 percent. While that number is not sustainable and is bound to regress, it shows the potency of Toronto’s offensive playmakers. Mitch Marner leads the way with seven power-play points and 20 points overall while Auston Matthews’ 10 goals (seven at even strength) are tops in the league.

But much like Vancouver, Toronto’s issues this season have come on the back end. The Leafs have allowed the eighth-most overall scoring chances and the seventh-most high-danger scoring chances. In terms of specific players, the pairing of TJ Brodie and Morgan Rielly has allowed the fourth-most goals at even strength this season.

Goaltender Freddy Andersen has played better of late and sports a .896 save percentage with a 7-2-1 record. He likely gets the start in this matchup.