Canucks vs Islanders

New York’s December heater (6-1-0 so far and a spotless 5-0-0 at UBS) contrasts sharply with Vancouver’s broader body of work, even though the Canucks ride in on a two-game win streak after road victories over New Jersey and the Rangers that followed an ugly 11-17-3 start. The Islanders’ overall profile—19-12-3 with a +6 goal differential and solid 10-6-2 home mark—still looks stronger than Vancouver’s 13-17-3 record, -20 goal differential, and brutal 4-10-1 at Rogers Arena, even if the Canucks have been more competitive on the road (9-7-2). Injuries cut both ways: Vancouver is missing key forwards down the middle with Elias Pettersson, Teddy Blueger and Filip Chytil all on injured reserve, while depth on the back end is thinned by Derek Forbort’s long-term absence; the Islanders are without Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri, removing their top goal scorer and an important secondary piece, but they still lean on Barzal, Anders Lee and Ilya Sorokin’s 2.50 GAA to drive results at home. Historically, Jake DeBrusk has produced well against the Islanders (double‑digit points lifetime), and Pettersson has also been effective versus New York, yet with Pettersson sidelined and Quinn Hughes now in Minnesota, much of that historical Canucks edge is either injured or wearing other sweaters, while Horvat’s strong track record versus his old team is likely to be moot if he remains out. Add in that this isn’t yet a true “must-win” playoff leverage spot with both clubs still shy of 41 games, and the modest price on the home side at -145 looks fair rather than generous; I’ll back Islanders moneyline for a B-grade play that prioritizes their current form, home ice and defensive structure against a still-fragile Canucks group. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/12/2025 09:25

The total of 5.5 hangs in a tricky range because you have two capable goalies—Thatcher Demko just back and allowing only four goals across three starts since his return, and Sorokin sitting at a strong 2.50 GAA—facing a Canucks team that has struggled to finish without Pettersson and a Horvat-less Islanders forward group that loses some high-end punch. That said, recent context and matchup history nudge me to the Over: Vancouver’s season-long numbers (92 goals for, 112 against through 33 games) point to a leaky defense that still bleeds chances even when the goaltending is good, while the Islanders have quietly scored 102 goals in 34 contests and have been especially productive in their current 6-1-0 December run. The head-to-head series has been wildly high scoring in recent years, with every meeting since 2019 landing at six total goals or more, often in 4-3 or 5-2 territory, and although personnel has changed—Hughes traded, Horvat injured—that tendency underscores how Vancouver’s structure has often broken down against this group and how New York’s transition game can exploit their D. With the Islanders’ power play humming better at home, Vancouver’s penalty kill middling, and both teams’ blue lines missing key regulars, I lean Over 5.5 at -110, grading it a B- given the respect owed to both goaltenders and the possibility that injuries to primary finishers on each side slightly cap the scoring ceiling. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/12/2025 09:25

Even while I favor the Islanders to win outright, the combination of Vancouver’s goaltending upgrade with Demko back, New York’s recent reliance on tight third-period performances, and the removal of Horvat and Palmieri from the Isles’ top-nine makes laying -1.5 with the home side less appealing than grabbing the heavy juice on Canucks +1.5. Vancouver’s overall numbers are poor, but the profile is a bit different with Demko: since his return the Canucks have tightened up dramatically, allowing just four goals in three games and riding that to consecutive wins over the Devils and Rangers on this road swing, and their 9-7-2 record away from home suggests they are far more competitive outside Vancouver than their overall goal differential implies. New York, meanwhile, has flourished at UBS this month with multiple multi-goal wins, but that stretch came with Horvat driving the offense; without their leading scorer and with the blue line banged up over the course of the season, they are more likely to lean on Sorokin and structure to grind out one-goal results, especially against a Western opponent that historically has traded chances with them but now lacks some of its most dangerous puck-movers. Recent series games have often exploded on the scoreboard, yet many have still been decided by a single goal, and in a contest where both coaches will likely be comfortable in a low- to mid-event script, I’m willing to pay the premium for Vancouver +1.5 at -220 as a B- play that aligns with an Islanders win by a narrow margin rather than a blowout. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/12/2025 09:25