ES 
NFL Previews 
MLB Previews 
NBA Previews 
NHL Previews 
Soccer Previews 
Prediction 
Odds 
Last Recap 
Game Picks 
Top Handicapper 
Vancouver-Canucks vs Vegas Golden Knights April 6th 2025
The Golden Knights and Canucks are set to face off at 10:00 ET on ESPN. The Canucks will host the game at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC. The Golden Knights are favored by -1.5 in this Pacific division showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 5.5 goals.3
Vegas vs. Vancouver Key Information
- Teams: Golden Knights at Canucks
- Where: Rogers Arena Vancouver
- Date: Sunday, April 6th
- Betting Odds VEG -153 | VAN +126 O/U 5.5
The Golden Knights Can Win If…
Vegas improved to 46-22-8 with a 4-3 overtime win against the Utah Hockey Club. The Golden Knights were favored on the puck line, but failed to cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined score of 7 surpassed that mark.
Utah took a 2-0 lead before Vegas responded with four different players finding the net. Brett Howden scored the game-winner at 2:15 in overtime.
In their last game, the Golden Knights took 35 shots on goal and scored four times. Brett Howden netted his 6th goal of the season in overtime, while William Karlsson added his 2nd goal, with Noah Hanifin scoring his 2nd earlier in the game. Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring for Vegas, marking his 7th goal of the season.
Hanifin also contributed two assists, bringing his total to 5 for the season. Vegas was held scoreless in the first period before netting two goals in the second, one in the third, and the game-winner in overtime. The team recorded 13 giveaways.
The Golden Knights found themselves down 2-0 after Utah scored at the 12:00 mark of the 2nd period. After battling back to take a 3-2 lead, Vegas allowed a game-tying goal at 13:10 in the 3rd. Adin Hill made 16 saves with a save percentage of 84.2%. Defensively, the Golden Knights had 10 takeaways and 22 hits.
- Across Vegas’s last three regular season games, their record sits at 1-2. This includes going 0-3 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 0-3.
- Across Vegas’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 7-3. Against the spread, Vegas went 6-4 in these games and finished with an over-under mark of 4-5-1.
The Canucks Can Win If…
With a 3-2 win over the Sharks, the Canucks improved to 35-28-13 this season. Vancouver was favored on the puck line, but didn’t cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, and the combined 5 goals fell short of that mark.
All the scoring took place after a scoreless first period. The Sharks struck first, but Pius Suter tied it up for the Canucks in the second. Vancouver took the lead in the third with a goal from Jake DeBrusk, but San Jose responded to make it 2-2. Suter scored again with just 26 seconds left to secure the win for the Canucks.
Pius Suter led the way for the Canucks with two goals, including his 3rd and 4th of the season. He scored for the first time in the 2nd period and added another with just 26 seconds left in the game. Jake DeBrusk also found the net, picking up his 1st goal of the season.
Vancouver took 27 shots on goal and recorded 25 giveaways. They were held scoreless in the 1st period before Suter got them on the board at 5:19 in the 2nd. DeBrusk’s goal came at 4:22 in the 3rd period.
Defensively, the Canucks will look to improve after allowing the first goal at 2:37 into the second period and another late in the third, at 18:43. Kevin Lankinen made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the Canucks’ defense added 5 takeaways and 24 hits.
- The Canucks have gone 1-2 over their last three regular season games. In these matchups, they ended with an puck line record of 1-2 and an over-under mark of 1-2.
- Over their last ten regular season games, the Canucks have gone 4-6 straight up. In these contests, the team went just 6-4 against the spread, while going 7-3 on the over-under.
The Lean
For a moneyline pick, I’m taking the Canucks to pick up on a win over the Golden Knights at home. With the moneyline sitting at +126, I’ll be locking in a bet on the Canucks straight-up.
Our projections have the Canucks pulling out a win as the underdog. But if you’re not as bullish as we are on the Canucks, we’d recommend at least getting a bet down on them to cover the puck line.
For those looking at the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.
Follow Every Puck Drop
Track NHL Scores Live
Knights Visit Canucks Looking to Hang Onto Pacific Division Lead: Playoff Vibes in Vancouver
As the NHL regular season winds down, every game becomes a playoff tune-up — especially when division titles are still up for grabs. That’s the case Sunday night in Vancouver, where the Vegas Golden Knights take on the Canucks in a pivotal Pacific Division matchup.
Knights Survive Calgary Scare, Look to Sweep Another Back-to-Back
Vegas enters the game at 46-22-8 (100 points), still clinging to a three-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings in the Pacific. But that margin nearly vanished in Calgary on Saturday night before Reilly Smith played the hero.
His bizarre OT winner — a backhand pass that deflected off a defender’s skate, then off the goalie’s shoulder, and into the net — was equal parts luck and persistence. It gave Vegas a 3-2 victory and avoided a blown 2-0 lead.
“We didn’t panic,” Smith said postgame. “We kept the pressure on and eventually got a bounce. That’s playoff hockey.”
Backup goalie Akira Schmid, pressed into action late, made arguably the save of the night — a last-second glove stop on a shorthanded breakaway by Mikael Backlund.
“If he doesn’t make that save, we don’t even get a point,” admitted head coach Bruce Cassidy.
Vegas has now won the first leg of a back-to-back three straight times — and will try for another sweep as they jet into Vancouver.
Cassidy emphasized the importance of winning the division: “It’s not just a banner. It’s less travel, more rest, and home ice. And with our home record (27-9-3), we’ll take that every time.”
Canucks Still Fighting, But Time Is Running Out
The Vancouver Canucks, sitting at 35-28-13 (83 points), remain in the Western Conference wild-card conversation — but just barely. They trail the Minnesota Wild by six points and have limited time to make up ground.
Saturday’s 6-2 blowout win over Anaheim was just what the doctor ordered. The Canucks scored five goals in 4:30 during the first period, setting a franchise record for the fastest five-goal stretch at any point in a game.
It was a performance coach Rick Tocchet called “fun to watch.”
“We talked a lot about professionalism and details,” he said. “And tonight, especially in the first, we were dialed in.”
Thatcher Demko stopped 30 shots, Quinn Hughes added two assists, and Brock Boeser had a multi-point effort as Vancouver snapped a three-game skid.
Still, the road ahead is steep. Vancouver must string together wins — and likely get help — to keep postseason hopes alive.
Head-to-Head: Can the Canucks Finally Crack Vegas?
Vegas has dominated the season series so far, winning both previous meetings by identical 3-1 scores — once in December, again in February. Sunday marks their third of four regular-season meetings, with the finale set for later this month.
The Canucks have struggled to solve Vegas’s defensive structure, which prioritizes tight neutral-zone play and strong backchecking from all five skaters. But with Demko in form and the top line surging, they’ll have a shot to flip the script in front of a fired-up home crowd.
Players to Watch
- Reilly Smith (VGK) – Coming off a two-goal night, including the OT winner.
- Jonathan Marchessault (VGK) – 67 points and a proven playoff performer.
- Brock Boeser (VAN) – Quietly heating up with points in three of his last four.
- Quinn Hughes (VAN) – One of the best puck-moving defensemen in the league.
- Thatcher Demko (VAN) – Key to any upset, especially if he gets hot early.
NHL Division Races & Playoff Outlook
Want more insights on the playoff picture and betting edge?
Deep dive into the division and title races here:
