Blackhawks vs Canucks odds - Expect a bloody, brutal battle
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The first-round hockey betting lines have come and gone, and that means the men have successfully separated themselves from the boys in Stanley Cup playoff betting. The testosterone will fly high in the Blackhawks vs Canucks odds, as these two tough, well-rounded teams hate each other; their last meeting of the NHL betting regular season ended in a brawl that even had head coaches Alain Vigneault and Joel Quenneville screaming at each other. Needless to say, fireworks are on the horizon, but who has the sportsbook edge in this best-of-seven series?
Blackhawks vs Canucks odds: Luongo, Canucks playing with big chip on their collective shoulder
- WHO: Blackhawks vs Canucks odds
- WHAT: Best-of-Seven Series
- WHEN: Game 1 is tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET
- WHERE: General Motors Place in Vancouver, BC
- KEY STAT: Season series tied 2-2
- THE PICK: Canucks in seven
The first round of NHL playoff betting was very telling in the West. It proved that the Canucks odds were for real, not just a late-season flash in the pan, and it also proved that the Blackhawks odds couldn’t just be written off as a young team “happy to be there.” Each of these teams is hungry for more and each of these teams has the horses for a deep run in sports betting online over the next month.
Entering their battle against the Flames, the only real knock on the Blackhawks was their inexperience. After they showed a killer instinct in winning Game 6 on the road against the Flames, though, the sky’s the limit for this young team. They have no real NHL betting weaknesses; the blueline features at least four guys capable of playing 30 minutes a night. Cam Barker and Brent Seabrook in particular stepped up their play in round one and were a big reason why the Hawks’ power play was so effective. They have speed to spare up front, with Martin Havlat, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane all capable of blowing past any defenders. Seasoned Cup-winning vet Nikolai Khabibulin has been a stalwart thus far in the playoffs and stood on his head in the series clincher against Calgary, making 43 saves.
The Canucks will be more than ready for Chicago’s attack, though. Sportsbook bettors across the continent know Roberto Luongo is a Superman in goal and he did nothing to disrupt that reputation in round one, so the Hawks odds have a tall order against him. Daniel and Henrik Sedin are playing the best hockey of their careers right now and will try to wear Chicago’s thoroughbred D-Men out though their super cycling skills. Two-way players Alex Burrows and Ryan Kesler were a nightmare for St. Louis in the first round and a huge reason why the Canucks killed off 23 of 24 penalties in round one.
DON’S PICK: The Hawks look like they’ll contend for the next decade, but make no mistake: the Canucks and Flames are not the same beast. The Flames struggled down the stretch in NHL betting and were mentally beaten entering the playoffs. The Canucks are a confident, tough, cohesive unit with their eyes on the Stanley Cup odds. This series will be a war, but the Canucks will prevail in the end on the strength of Luongo’s goaltending and overall drive; they’re a “win now” team and should be hungrier.
For more Stanley Cup betting and sports betting analysis, visit the Betting Edge at betonline.com throughout the playoffs.
Who better to offer great sports betting and hockey tips than a native Canadian? Like any good Canuck, Don Melrose eats, sleeps, breathes and bets hockey, making him the perfect NHL handicapper. Thoughts or questions?
