5 things you need to know about the Vancouver Canucks vs. Edmonton Oilers series

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For the first time in three decades, the Vancouver Canucks will face the Edmonton Oilers in a playoff series.

Both teams are the last Canadian teams in the NHL playoffs after the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round.

It took the Canucks six grueling games to eliminate the defensive minded Nashville Predators while Edmonton Oilers had a surprisingly easier time ousting the LA Kings.

So without further ado, here are the things you need to know about the upcoming series, which kicks off at Rogers Arena in Vancouver:

First time to meet in the playoffs since 1992

Somehow, someway, the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers have not met in the playoffs since 1992, and prior to that, they met in 1986.

The Oilers swept the Canucks in the best-of-5 first round in 1986 and won in six games in the best-of-7 Smythe Division Semifinals in 1992.

Canucks considered the underdogs

While this may come as a big surprise after the Canucks won all four regular season games against the Oilers, many analysts are bringing up the fact that three of those wins came early in the season when the Oilers were going through a slump that eventually cost former coach Jay Woodcroft his job.

In the final game between the two teams at the end of the season, the Canucks won by a score of 3-1, but the Oilers were without their superstar, Connor McDavid.

Canucks outscored the Oilers  21-7 in the four games.

Many betting platforms, including the British Columbia Lottery Corporation’s (BCLC), are predicting that the Canucks will lose the series.

According to the online gambling platform PlayNow, the Vancouver Canucks are predicted to be the underdogs in their upcoming series against the Edmonton Oilers.

The odds are stacked against the Canucks, which means those betting on Vancouver could stand to gain more if they can knock Edmonton out of the playoffs.

If the Canucks (3.00) manage to defeat the Oilers (1.40) in round two of the Stanley Cup playoffs, a $10 wager on Vancouver would yield $30, whereas a successful $10 wager on Edmonton would only yield $14.

EA Sports predict Canucks will win cup

While the Canucks are seen as the underdog, EA Sports, which runs a simulator each year to predict the Stanley Cup winner, has Vancouver hoisting the holy grail at the end of the daunting two-month playoff run.

Their prediction states that the Canucks will defeat the Boston Bruins in seven games. Either way, we know a Canadian team will reach the Western Conference finals, so maybe EA is onto something?

Canucks fans would like to believe so!

Goaltending

While the Edmonton Oilers have been able to stick with their number one goalie, Stuart Skinner, for the entire first-round series, the Canucks have had a much different outcome after both their starter and backup were injured—forcing the team to go with Latvian third-stringer Arturs Silovs for the last three games.

The Canucks started with Vezina finalist Thatcher Demko, who suffered a leg injury in Game 1.

They then turned to backup Casey DeSmith for two starts before he also sustained a minor injury. Consequently, 23-year-old Silovs was called in to action for the last three games.

Silovs stopped 75 of 80 shots, including a shutout in the last game which allowed the Canucks to win the series against the Predators.

While Demko is practicing, he’s not expected to return to playoff action until at least the fourth or fifth game of the series. Many predict the team will continue to ride the hot hand in Silovs, with DeSmith in the backup role.

Vancouver vs. Edmonton schedule

The second-round NHL playoff series between the Canucks and Oilers the will commence on Wednesday, May 8th in Vancouver.

Game 2 will take place on Friday at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena, followed by the third and fourth games of the best-of-seven series on May 12th and May 14th at Edmonton’s Rogers Place.

If needed, Game 5 will be held on May 16th in Vancouver, Game 6 on May 18th in Edmonton, and a potential Game 7 will return to Vancouver on May 20th.

So who are you cheering for? Let us know in the comment section below!

See also: 8 places in around Victoria to watch Canucks playoff hockey