Friday’s NHL schedule is compact with four games, loaded with excitement and the promise of fast-paced action, dramatic finishes, and plenty of highlight-reel moments. 

One of the most compelling games of the night features two teams trending in different directions as the Vancouver Canucks travel to Raleigh to play the Carolina Hurricanes. Once again this season, Vancouver has been a media circus with an increasing number of injuries and lackluster play from stars like Elias Pettersson, all contributing to four losses in their last six games. They will clash with one of the best teams in the East on Friday as the Hurricanes look to rebound from a troubling 4–1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

For those following our Pad Stack challenge, we began with a $10 bankroll and aim to grow it through smart, data-driven picks. Past runs have turned small stakes into triple-digit profits, and tonight’s focus is the Canucks–Hurricanes matchup, which offers another strong opportunity to build momentum.

Our bankroll reached as high as $264.60 before a setback earlier this season. After a successful bet on the Red Wings outlasting the Ducks on Thursday, our current bankroll is close to that previous high, now standing at $136.79, and we are ready to reach a new season high for the challenge.

All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. 

Sign up with BetMGM, make a deposit, and place your first wager on any game using your First Bet Offer token. If that bet with the token applied loses, you’ll get your original stake paid back in Bonus Bets, up to $1,500! Get in the game today with BetMGM.

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Picks: Canucks +2.5 & Over 4.5 Goals (-114)

The Canucks have managed to stay competitive against some of the league’s top teams this season. Notably, they forced overtime against the league-leading Colorado Avalanche and tallied three goals in a close loss to the Winnipeg Jets this past Tuesday. Despite this, many expect the Carolina Hurricanes to dominate on Friday, especially with the home team coming off three days of rest and looking to rebound from their recent loss to the Capitals. This matchup marks the 88th meeting between the two clubs, with Vancouver historically holding the edge with a 42-32-11-2 record.

Recently, this trend has persisted, as the Canucks have claimed victory in three of their last five games against Carolina, though the Hurricanes have won the last two matchups. Vancouver still appears capable of keeping Friday’s game competitive, boasting a 7-5 record against the spread as an underdog this season, along with five outright wins. 

Offensively, the Canucks have been strong, scoring 23 goals over their last seven games, ranking them in the NHL’s top ten over that stretch. Defense, however, remains the team’s primary weakness. 

During the same seven-game span, Vancouver has allowed 30 goals and has shown little improvement. Adding to the concern, captain and defensive cornerstone Quinn Hughes is listed as questionable for Friday’s game. He did, however, play the full game against Winnipeg on Tuesday, suggesting he should be available.

Injuries have also hampered Vancouver, affecting players like Filip Chytil, Nils Hoglander, Derek Forbort, Teddy Blueger, and starting goaltender Thatcher Demko, who has struggled with injuries over the past several seasons. The Canucks had hoped for stability with backup Kevin Lankinen, but overuse has impacted his confidence, mirroring situations like the Toronto Maple Leafs with Anthony Stolarz. 

Lankinen has struggled to start the season, posting a 3-5-1 record, 3.57 goals-against average, and a .885 save percentage in nine starts. He is slated to start again on Friday, carrying a 3-3-2 record, 3.85 goals-against average, and .886 save percentage in eight appearances versus the Hurricanes.

If the Canucks want to win this one or remain within striking distance, they'll need to backup their play with some offense of their own and should make this a relatively sweat-free over in goals.  A wager on the Canucks and the over at -114 odds with an $136.79 bankroll would return a profit of $120.38, for a total payout of $257.17 in return.

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