Golden Knights vs Canucks Game 3 Odds & Picks – Aug 27
- The Vancouver Canucks have evened up their series with the Vegas Golden Knights
- Game 3 will be played on Thursday, August 27 at 9:45 PM EST
- Read below for the game preview and betting advice
The No. 5 Vancouver Canucks have evened up their second-round playoff series with the No. 1 Vegas Golden Knights. Game 3 is set for Thursday, August 27 at 9:45 PM EST.
The Golden Knights have opened as -186 favorites in the Game 3 Golden Knights vs Canucks odds. They’ve seen a small drop-off in their odds after opening as heavy -215 favorites for Game 2.
Are the underdog Canucks the real deal? Should you bet on Vegas rebounding in Game 3?
Golden Knights vs Canucks Game 3 Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Puckline | Total Odds at DraftKings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vegas Golden Knights | -186 | -1.5 (+145) | O 6 (-106) |
| Vancouver Canucks | +160 | +1.5 (-175) | U 6 (-115) |
Odds as of August 25
Canucks Even Up Series
The Vancouver Canucks evened up their series with the Golden Knights by beating Vegas 5-2 in Game 2 on Tuesday. Tyler Toffoli and Elias Pettersson both had three points, while goalie Jacob Markstrom made 38 saves to lead the way for Vancouver. Toffoli was playing in his first game back since getting injured in Game 1 against the Minnesota Wild.
The Canucks were much better in Game 2 than they were in their 5-0 blowout loss in Game 1, although they were still outshot 40-27. The Canucks set a team playoff record in Game 2 with 40 blocked shots and are proving their resilience this postseason. They certainly won’t be going down without a fight against the top-seeded Knights.
Pettersson has been one of the best storylines of the playoffs as he continues to rebound after tough outings. With 16 points in 18 games, Pettersson now trails Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon by just two points in the playoff scoring race.
Will Vegas Call on the Flower?
With Lehner getting outplayed by Markstrom in Game 2, the Golden Knights may choose to go with playoff veteran Marc-Andre Fleury for Game 3. Fleury is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and owns a stellar 12-2-2 all-time record against Vancouver.
Marc-Andre Fleury hasn't lost in regulation to Vancouver in 14 years.
I asked about opponents and lineups with that in mind. This was DeBoer's exact quote.
"When I think about it, I don't think it changes our roster decisions or our line makeups, at least not for Game 1." https://t.co/2krnbcWRuX
— SinBin.vegas (@SinBinVegas) August 22, 2020
One of the primary reasons the Canucks beat the Blues in Round 1 was because the Canucks had the best goalie in the series. Markstrom helped steal Game 2 for Vancouver, while Lehner couldn’t come up with the big saves when Vegas needed them. The Golden Knights may need a goalie who has proven he can steal playoff games for his team.
Vegas making a goaltending change may be harder to do after Fleury‘s agent posted an image before the series that implied that head coach Peter DeBoer had stabbed his client in the back by not starting him in the first place. It’s still something that could happen and worth considering before placing your bet.
Bet on Vegas Rebounding
It’s no surprise that the resilient Canucks rebounded in Game 2, but now it’s Vegas’ turn to bounce back with a big victory. The Golden Knights had 93 shot attempts in Game 2 while the Canucks only had 56. A team blocking 40 shots in a game is almost unheard of and very unlikely to occur again. Vegas has already put 79 shots on goal in just two games in this series.
that was absolutely crushed 👀#VegasBorn | @Raising_Canes pic.twitter.com/jjx9n47olo
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) August 26, 2020
Markstrom was excellent for Vancouver in Game 2, but keep in mind Vegas scored five goals on him in Game 1 and also got nine goals past him in two regular-season contests. The Golden Knights should get better goaltending in Game 3, as they will either be turning to the playoff veteran Fleury, or they’ll be turning to a motivated Lehner who knows he could lose his job if he doesn’t deliver.
The Knights have controlled most of the puck possession through two games and just couldn’t get pucks through in Game 2. The Canucks at plus-money is a tempting value bet for Game 3, but the smart money is on a Vegas bounce-back victory.
Pick: Vegas Golden Knights Moneyline (-186)
Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.
