Vancouver Canucks - Ottawa Senators predictions and free betting tips [03/01/2024]

The Vancouver Canucks are set to face off against the Ottawa Senators in their forthcoming NHL regular season game.

Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver Canucks, following seven successful outings in their last ten, approach the next confrontation with Ottawa rested after a five-day festive break. In their latest match against Philadelphia, the Canucks couldn't sustain their scoreless streak, losing 4:1. Teddy Blueger scored a goal, and Casey DeSmith made 21 saves, but it wasn't enough for the team that had previously secured at least one point in each of its preceding nine games.

The Canucks moved into the festive interval occupying a leading position in the NHL with 49 points; however, their nine-game point streak was snapped by Philadelphia. The Canucks had previously showcased their potent form, defeating the San Jose Sharks 7-4. The third line consisting of Joshua, Blueger, and Garland contributed significantly to the team's success, amassing 28 points in the last 10 matches. Defenceman Quinn Hughes excelled, achieving a 1:1 in the match against the Sharks, equalling the Canucks' all-time record for matches with one point among defencemen. Goalkeeper Demko achieved a 17-7-1 result, tying the number of victories with Georgiev from the Colorado Avalanche. Canucks forwards have been performing impressively, ranking first in the league for average goals per game - 3.86. In the last five matches, the Canucks defeated Nashville, Chicago, and San Jose but lost to Dallas and Philadelphia. Boeser leads the team with 24 goals, while defenceman Hughes made 35 assists. Russian rookie Nikita Khadorov made just 1 assist in 12 matches following his exchange from Calgary, whilst Andrei Kuzmenko and Ilya Mikheyev have been showing consistent performances.

Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Senators, following the dismissal of their head coach two weeks ago, are starting to experience a rise under the leadership of Jacques Martin. The Senators, looking to avoid the disappointing outcomes of the previous month, head to Vancouver as part of their longest away tour of the season. They recently secured a 5:4 overtime victory over Pittsburgh, ending a six-game losing streak. Martin, who coached Ottawa from 1996 to 2004 and returned to the team as an adviser, replaced interim head coach Smith.  On their previous tour, the Senators suffered five consecutive losses, starting with a defeat to St. Louis on December 15 and ending with a loss to Colorado under Martin. However, on Monday, thanks to 45 saves from Anton Forsberg, Ottawa defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-1. Thomas Chabot, returning after missing 12 games due to a broken leg, made two assists. Ottawa improved to 3-3 under Martin, with five players scoring goals. This season, Ottawa shows a 13-18 record, having won three times in the last five games following a six-game losing streak. The Senators average 3.37 goals per game and concede 3.5. Stützle, with 7 goals and 26 assists, is among the team's leaders. Russian forward Vladimir Tarasenko is struggling to find form, with 6 goals and 16 assists, while defender Artem Zub has 3 goals and 8 assists in 25 matches.

Head-to-head

The Canucks have 4 wins in their last 5 games and 3 consecutive wins: on November 10 this season, Vancouver won 5-2 with a brace from Mikheyev and a goal in response from Zub, and last season they won 6-4 and 5-2 with a brace from Kuzmenko.

Prediction for the match Vancouver Canucks - Ottawa Senators

Both teams have been vibrant in attack in recent matches; I'm going for a total goals of over 6.