PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* TOTAL MASSACRE
(NHL) Vancouver vs. Chicago,
Total: 6.00 | -109.00 Under
Result: Win
Total: 6.00 | -109.00 Under
Result: Win
The set-up: This Thursday night contest features a pair teams each mired in last place in their respective divisions. Both are stumbling toward the finish line of the regular season, as the 25-39-9 Vancouver Canucks are last in the Pacific Division and the 30-35-9 Chicago Blackhawks are in last in the Central Division). The loss of leading scorer Brock Boeser has sapped the life out of Vancouver, which is 0-for-7 since the rookie was injured and the Canucks now own the worst record in the West, Meanwhile, Chicago, which topped the Western Conference with 109 points a year ago, was eliminated from postseason contention after Tuesday's 5-1 setback to Colorado (its fourth straight loss and sixth in seven games), to end a nine-year playoff run. One of the teams will finally get back into the win column when the Blackhawks host the reeling Canucks on tonight.
Vancouver: Boeser had scored 29 goals before he fractured a bone in his back on March 5 and his absence has been painfully apparent, as Vancouver has scored seven goals in the seven-game slide, including three consecutive shutouts. Center Bo Horvat has 19 goals and is looking to secure his second straight 20-goal campaign but there have been few bright spots for Vancouver these days..First-year head coach Travis Green has seen his team lose seven games in a row, getting outscored 23-7. The Canucks have failed to score on the power play in seven of eight games and had only one chance in five of them. Vancouver will turn to Jacob Markstrom or Anders Nilsson in net. Markstrom has played more frequently, posting an 18-26-6 record with a 2.80 goals-against average and .909 save percentage in 54 games but comes in having lost five straight starts. Nilsson is 7-13-3 with a 3.50 GAA and .902 save percentage in 25 games.
Chicago: Joel Quenneville has guided Chicago to three Stanley Cup titles since 2009-10 but there are questions about his future despite the fact he is having his first losing season in 21 years. Center Jonathan Toews and right winger Patrick Kane each will look to continue their recent production. Toews has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in his last 10 games and checks in with 52 points (20 goals) on the season. Kane has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) over the same span and collected an assist Tuesday to reach 70 points for the seventh time (25 goals / 45 assists). Anton Forsberg or Jean-Francois Berube will be in net for Chicago. Forsberg is 9-16-3 with a 3.08 GAA and .905 save percentage in 32 games, while Berube is 2-4-1 with a 3.70 GAA and .897 save percentage.
The pick: Chicago has scored first in 27 of its last 36 games but is only 12-12-3 in those contests. Oddly enough, while the Canucks now own the worst record in the West, they have won three in a row in the series, including both meetings this season by a combined 9-4. The Canucks are looking to sweep the regular-season series.with tonight's game in Chicago. That should motivate the Blackhawks some but I'd rather stick with a 10* on the over.
Vancouver: Boeser had scored 29 goals before he fractured a bone in his back on March 5 and his absence has been painfully apparent, as Vancouver has scored seven goals in the seven-game slide, including three consecutive shutouts. Center Bo Horvat has 19 goals and is looking to secure his second straight 20-goal campaign but there have been few bright spots for Vancouver these days..First-year head coach Travis Green has seen his team lose seven games in a row, getting outscored 23-7. The Canucks have failed to score on the power play in seven of eight games and had only one chance in five of them. Vancouver will turn to Jacob Markstrom or Anders Nilsson in net. Markstrom has played more frequently, posting an 18-26-6 record with a 2.80 goals-against average and .909 save percentage in 54 games but comes in having lost five straight starts. Nilsson is 7-13-3 with a 3.50 GAA and .902 save percentage in 25 games.
Chicago: Joel Quenneville has guided Chicago to three Stanley Cup titles since 2009-10 but there are questions about his future despite the fact he is having his first losing season in 21 years. Center Jonathan Toews and right winger Patrick Kane each will look to continue their recent production. Toews has 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in his last 10 games and checks in with 52 points (20 goals) on the season. Kane has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) over the same span and collected an assist Tuesday to reach 70 points for the seventh time (25 goals / 45 assists). Anton Forsberg or Jean-Francois Berube will be in net for Chicago. Forsberg is 9-16-3 with a 3.08 GAA and .905 save percentage in 32 games, while Berube is 2-4-1 with a 3.70 GAA and .897 save percentage.
The pick: Chicago has scored first in 27 of its last 36 games but is only 12-12-3 in those contests. Oddly enough, while the Canucks now own the worst record in the West, they have won three in a row in the series, including both meetings this season by a combined 9-4. The Canucks are looking to sweep the regular-season series.with tonight's game in Chicago. That should motivate the Blackhawks some but I'd rather stick with a 10* on the over.
