NHL Free Pick: Flames vs. Canucks Lines and Preview
Flames lead series 1-0
Betting On NHL Hockey?
Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Calgary Flames taking on the Vancouver Canucks April 17 at Rogers Arena. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.
So much for the youngsters on the Calgary Flames being intimidated in their first Stanley Cup game! The Calgary Flames were able to wrestle home ice advantage away from the Vancouver Canucks in Game 1 Wednesday night with a typical, gritty, never-say-die effort. The Canucks now know that they are indeed in for a dogfight – Game 2 should be very interesting Friday night.
Daily NHL Hockey Odds
Calgary (46-30-4-3) at Vancouver (48-30-3-2)
When: 10:00 PM ET, Friday, April 17, 2015
Where: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia
Broadcast: CBC, CNBC, TVA
Calgary Flames +1½ -245 +131 Ov 5 -123
Vancouver Canucks -1½ +205 -145 Un 5 +112
The formula seems to be simple for the Calgary Flames – enter the third period down a goal or two and let the best third period offense in the game ramp up and do its thing. The Flames are no strangers to third period explosions – they outscored their opponents 99-68 this past season – on Wednesday night they bested the Canucks 2-0 in the final 20 minutes of the game. Calgary has made a name for themselves with the way they are able to come back in games – they are never, ever out of a contest!
The Flames’ offensive output in the third shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise on Wednesday – they were terrific down the stretch in averaging 3.19 goals per game during a 13-5-3 stretch. The defensemen on Calgary’s roster were especially visible in Game 1 – something that the Canucks simply has no answer for.
Defensively the Flames have Jonas Hiller to thank – he made some game-changing saves Wednesday night and is now 6-1-0 with a .946 save percentage in his last eight starts. Hiller is 4-2-0 in his last six starts in Vancouver with a .929 save percentage over that span. Solving Hiller has been no easy task the last couple of weeks – Vancouver has absolutely no choice.
The Vancouver Canucks have now lost a staggering seven straight games at home in the Stanley Cup playoffs after Wednesday night’s defeat -they have lost 11 of their last 12 postseason games overall and has been outscored 50-21 while losing 13 of their last 15 postseason games. Yikes!
Offensively the chances were definitely there but Jonas Hiller was there on a number of occasions to slam the door. Of concern is the fact that Radim Vrbata hasn’t scored in his last seven games – his longest stretch this season. The Sedins were dominant however despite being held off the score sheet which is a good sign. They along with Alex Burrows generated 9 of Vancouver’s 30 shots on goal – many of the quality variety.
Eddie Lack did nothing to warrant a benching for Game 2 – he played well in Game 1 stopping 28 of 30 shots. I guess Ryan Miller could get the nod but Lack was 2-0-0 with a 0.48 GAA and .985 save percentage in his last two starts before Game 1 and is deserving of another start.
NHL Gambling Trends
• CAL are 2-8 in their last 10 Fri. games.
• CAL are 23-6 in their last 29 vs. Pacific.
• Under is 18-7-3 in VAN last 28 vs. Pacific.
• CAL are 8-21 in the last 29 meetings.
• CAL are 8-20 in the last 28 meetings in Vancouver.
The Calgary Flames have now beaten the Canucks three straight times. But the matchup is very close on paper – it is Vancouver’s turn to win. The Canucks did a bunch of things right in Game 1 and weren’t rewarded – their fortunes turn around as they even up what looks as though it is going to be a seven game series.
NHL Betting 4* Free Play
Vancouver Canucks -145
