Golden Knights vs. Canucks Game 2 Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions (Tuesday, Aug. 25)

Golden Knights vs. Canucks Odds

Odds updated as of Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET and via DraftKings. Get up to a $1,000 sign-up bonus at DraftKings today or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.

Betting on the NHL will do some funky things to your mind.

After the Vegas Golden Knights dismantled the Vancouver Canucks 5-0 in Game 1 of their second-round NHL playoff series on Sunday, most people were talking about how the Knights looked like a contender and that the Canucks looked in over their head. Both natural takeaways after a thorough beatdown.

All I could think after the final whistle was, "F**k, I'm going to have to bet on Vancouver again on Tuesday."

I knew that the lopsided result would cause the market to move towards Vegas for Game 2, even though the odds for Game 1 were already pretty wide. The Canucks closed at +163 (36% implied win probability) in the opening game. They are all the way out at +195 for Tuesday night.

Make no mistake, the Golden Knights are a much better team than the Canucks, and they showed it on Sunday night. The 5-0 scoreline was justified, as the Knights posted a 67.3% expected goals rate at 5-on-5 in Game 1.

You can expect Vegas to control play at even strength throughout this series. The Knights led the NHL with a 56.1% expected goals rate during the regular season, and they are operating at an obscene 63.6% through eight games in The Bubble.

Vancouver will need to find a way to get each game off script because the numbers at 5-on-5 paint this as a complete mismatch. However, the Canucks have a lot of talent at the top of their roster, and Jacob Markstrom has been one of the best goaltenders in the league all season, so the Canucks are not without a chance. They'll just likely need to catch some breaks because the Knights will have the puck for most of the night.

Expected goals (also known as xG) is a predictive statistic that gives an indication of whether results are based on sustainable factors like a steady creation of scoring chances, or whether it is down to aspects such as shooting luck or outstanding goaltending.

Simply put, an expected goals rate (xGF%) above 50% is considered good because it means a team is creating the majority of the scoring chances. Anything below 50% is usually a sign that a team is struggling to control play.

xG numbers cited from Evolving Hockey.

This is simply a numbers play. The Knights are likely to win Game 2. The listed odds imply that Vegas beats Vancouver 67.3% of the time on Tuesday night. I think that's too high, and the market has overreacted — as it often does — to a sparkling performance from the Knights two nights ago.

I thought Vancouver was in range for a bet at +170 on Sunday night, and perhaps I was a little too trigger-happy at that price, but they're certainly worth a look for Game 2 at +180 or better (check our updated odds page to shop for the best number).

I would stop well short of calling this a fun bet. Even if the Canucks win, I expect them to get shelled all night. It'll be torture, frankly. I understand that a lot of people would rather spend their nights reading a good book or taking in a documentary instead of watching the team they bet on get their doors blown off. But there's no way I'm passing up this price and the opportunity to spend my Tuesday night feeling personally victimized by a mediocre-but-fun-to-watch hockey team.

Like I said, betting on the NHL will do funky things to your mind.

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