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- What: Western Conference NHL Playoffs – Second Round – Game 1
- Who: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks
- Date: Wednesday, May 8, 2024
- Location: Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: ESPN
The meeting of the Edmonton Oilers and the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs marks the third time these teams have met in the NHL Playoffs and the first since 1992 when they went six games in the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs. Edmonton won that series. They also triumphed in 1986 when the Oilers won 3-0 in that series, which was a best-of-five.
The Oilers secured their spot in the second round of the 2024 Playoffs by beating the Los Angeles Kings in five games. Edmonton finished the 2024 regular season with a 49-27-6 record. The club was second in the Pacific Division.
The Canucks made it to the second round of this year’s NHL playoffs after beating the Nashville Predators in six games. Vancouver was the No. 1 team in the Pacific Division in the regular season with a record of 50-23-9.
Before we look at the betting breakdown for Game 1 of the Western Conference NHL playoff series between the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks, check out our guide to betting on the 2024 NHL Playoffs and our tips for betting on the NHL.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks betting picks – Game 1
 | Puck Line | Money Line | Total |
| Edmonton Oilers | +1.5 (+198) | -126 | Ov 6 (-117) |
| Vancover Canucks | -1.5 (-228) | +112 | Un 6 (+101) |
Edmonton Oilers betting breakdown
The Edmonton Oilers went 0-4 against the Vancouver Canucks during the 2024 regular season. However, the first three of those losses came in the first 11 games of the 2024 season. The Oilers who finished the 2024 season differed from the team that began the year with a 2-9-1 record. For one thing, the club that started the year was coached by Jay Woodcroft, who was fired in mid November. His replacement, Kris Knoblauch, went 46-18-5 while behind the bench.
The Oilers sailed past the Los Angeles Kings in this year’s playoffs, wrapping up the series in five games. What that means is the team will be well rested heading into Game 1 of the series against the Canucks. The Oilers last played on May 4 when they topped the Kings 4-3 to close out the series. On the downside, too much rest can lead to rust.
Edmonton’s stars, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, are the top two scorers in the playoffs, with McDavid picking up 12 points and Draisaitl notching 10. Evan Bouchard is also among the top scorers in the postseason with nine points. Meanwhile, Zach Hyman is tied for the league lead with seven playoff goals. Hyman has become very adept at scoring from in close this year, and that’s something that will benefit the Oilers as the Canucks have some questions in net heading into this series.
The Oilers averaged 4.40 goals per game against the Kings while giving up an average of 2.60. The team’s power play clicked at an eye-opening 45 percent during the first round, while the penalty kill was at 100 percent, stopping all 12 of the Kings’ power play chances. The Oilers are averaging 31 shots per game in the postseason and surrendering 29.
Vancouver Canucks betting breakdown
The big question going into this series is if and when the Vancouver Canucks will get Thatcher Demko back in the net. Demko is a candidate for the 2024 Vezina Trophy after going 35-14-2 during the regular season. He posted a 2.45 goals against average and had a .918 save percentage. Demko played the first game of the Canucks’ series against the Predators, giving up two goals on 24 shots, but he’s been out of the lineup since then with a knee injury. Reports have Demko missing at least the first game of the Oilers’ series, and that’s not a good thing when it comes to Edmonton’s potent offense.
The Canucks need to stay out of the penalty box against the Oilers. Edmonton has some of the most potent offense in the NHL, and they are otherworldly when it comes to the power play. Vancouver took 22 penalties against the Predators, and they did well on the penalty kill during that series, but the team’s regular season penalty kill was 79.1 percent, which was 17th in the league.
Vancouver’s highest scorers are Brock Boeser and J.T. Miller, who both had six points in the Nashville series. Boeser leads the team in goals with four.
The Canucks averaged 2.17 goals per game against the Preds while giving up 2.00. The team’s power play scored on 15.4 percent of their chances, and they stopped 90.9 percent of Nashville’s power plays. Vancouver had the fewest shots per game at 20.2 in the first round, but they allowed the second-fewest shots per game at 25.0.
Best bets for Game 1 between Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks backup goalies have played well so far in the 2024 NHL Playoffs. However they have not faced an offense as potent as the Edmonton Oilers. Add to that fact that Edmonton is well rested, and things could get out of hand quickly in Game 1 of this Western Conference Series. The betting pick is for the Edmonton Oilers to beat the Vancouver Canucks in Game 1 of this series.
With Demko not playing in Game 1, expect the Edmonton Oilers to light the lamp against the Vancouver Canucks. As for the Canucks, they did not struggle to score against the Oilers in the regular season, notching 21 goals in the four games they played against Edmonton. The betting pick is for the Canucks and Oilers to combine for over six goals in Game 1 of their Western Conference matchup.
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