Canucks vs Oilers 05/06/21 – Odds and NHL Betting Trends

The Edmonton Oilers will be looking to clinch home-ice advantage in the first round of this year’s NHL playoffs when they open a two-game series with the free falling Vancouver Canucks on Thursday as -250 home favourites on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com (how the moneyline works).

Edmonton completed a two-game sweep in Vancouver earlier this week, and has taken firm control of second place in the North Division standings with wins in nine of its past 12 contests going into Thursday night’s matchup at Rogers Place.

The Oilers’ recent surge has lifted them seven points up on third-place Winnipeg, with a game in hand on the struggling Jets, positioning them to lock up second place in the divisional standings simply by avoiding a regulation loss on Thursday night.

And with a favourable schedule down the stretch, Edmonton remains within striking distance of the division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs. The Oilers sit just six points back of Toronto, with a game in hand, but continue to lag as a lengthy +1600 wager at online sports betting sites to overtake the Maple Leafs and claim the North Division crown.

Thursday’s contest marks the first of three home dates with the Canucks over the final 10 days of the regular season. The Oilers have largely dominated the Canucks in head-to-head meetings this season. Edmonton has posted wins in four of their past five meetings, all in Vancouver, outscoring the Canucks by a 9-4 overall margin in two wins earlier this week.

However, the Oilers have produced mixed results in recent home dates with Vancouver, going 3-3-0 over their past six, capped by a 5-2 win during the opening week of the season.

The stingy defensive play that has emerged as a critical element of the Oilers’ game plan this season has been on full display in recent clashes with the Canucks. Edmonton has limited Canucks shooters to just 11 total goals in six meetings since dropping a 5-3 decision to Vancouver on opening night. But with Edmonton averaging 3.67 goals per game over that stretch, they have produced mixed results on the totals, with the OVER going 3-3 over their past six meetings.

While the Oilers aim to bring certainty to their playoff outlook, the Canucks try to snap a dismal six-game losing streak as they travel to Edmonton as lengthy +210 underdogs. Decimated by an outbreak of COVID-19 in late March, the Canucks have struggled to recover. The team has posted wins in just three of its past 13 overall contests, and has been limited to just a single goal on three occasions during a five-game slide on the road.