Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport By Icon Sport

Senators vs Canucks: The top team in the West against the bottom team in the East

The Vancouver Canucks will try to stay on top of the Western Conference tonight when they host the Ottawa Senators at Rogers Arena, who are having a disappointing season so far.

The Senators need a boost

The Ottawa Senators are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 14-18-0 record. They are only 4-8-0 on the road. The Senators were on a six-game losing streak before winning three of the last four games. They are coming off a 5-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. Despite being at the bottom of the conference, the Senators are ranked 9th in the league, scoring 3.44 goals per game. What makes their season difficult is their defense, as they are ranked 28th in the league, allowing 3.5 goals per game. Tim Stutzle is the Senator’s best player with 33 points so far in the season, while Brady Tkachuk is the leading scorer with 16 goals.

Are the Canucks contenders?

The Vancouver Canucks have had an excellent first half of the season, sitting on top of the Western Conference with a 23-10-3 record. They are 13-4-1 at home and have won 7 of the last 10 games. The Canucks are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Vancouver is the best-scoring team in the league, averaging 3.78 goals per game, and is ranked third in the league, allowing 3.56 goals per game. JT Miller, with 48 points, leads the Canucks, while Brock Boeser has the most goals with 24.

Betting Trends

Vancouver is 7-3 SU in the last 10 games. They are 7-2 SU in the last 9 games against Ottawa and 5-1 SU in the last 6 home games overall. Ottawa is 3-7 SU in the last 10 games, and 1-5 SU in the last 6 games on the road.

Player to watch

Quinn Hughes leads the Canucks with 35 assists and has been on top of his game lately. The seventh overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft, had a total of 6 points in the last 4 games for Vancouver and is second in the team with 45 points so far in the season.

Injury Reports

Guillaume Brisebois, Carson Soucy and Tucker Poolman are out for the Canucks. Mathieu Joseph and Rourke Chartier will not play for the Senators.

Prediction and Conclusion

The Canucks have turned things around this season and are on the pace, not just to make their first playoff appearance since 2020, but to be a real contender to go deep in the postseason. The Senators, on the other hand, have had a terrible season, and only a miracle can see them climb the standings. The Senators’ offense is especially vulnerable, and going against the best-scoring team in the league will get them fully exposed. The Canucks will dominate this game and start the new year with a victory.

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