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Canucks vs Senators Picks and Predictions – Tuesday January 13, 2026
This is what you get when two teams are playing with zero margin. Vancouver hasn’t won in seven and keeps coughing up third-period control, while Ottawa has dropped four straight and is getting buried on the scoreboard since its last win. Tuesday sets up as a pressure game where the first ten minutes matter more than usual because neither side is handling adversity well right now.
Vancouver is also walking into a brutal scheduling spot. This is the second night of a back-to-back on a road trip that has already gone sideways, and they just spent a lot of time defending in Montreal. Ottawa isn’t exactly stable, but they’re at home and they can simplify the approach, especially if they get even average goaltending.
The betting question is whether Ottawa is priced too high for a team in a skid, or whether Vancouver’s current form makes this number fair. I lean the second way.
Vancouver Canucks vs Ottawa Senators Odds
These are current lines, and bettors should keep monitoring updated NHL odds for late movement tied to goalie confirmations and any lineup adjustments.
| Team | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Canucks | +190 | +1.5 (-136) | 6.0 (O -123 / U +101) |
| Ottawa Senators | -228 | -1.5 (+109) | 6.0 (O -123 / U +101) |
Vancouver Canucks Betting Form
Vancouver’s problems aren’t subtle. They’re giving up too much, too quickly, and once the game tilts, they’re not recovering. Monday in Montreal was a perfect example. They were in the game through 40, then the third period started and it basically ended on two shifts. That’s a team that’s defending on fumes and breaking down in sequences, not just making one-off mistakes.
The back-to-back makes it worse. When your structure is fragile, tired legs show up as slow reloads through the middle and late sticks in coverage. Vancouver can still score, but their path to cashing is narrow. They need cleaner exits, fewer failed clears, and they need their goalie to win a segment of the game, not just survive it.
If you want the broader profile and recent results, check the Vancouver Canucks stats and results, and confirm availability with the linked Vancouver Canucks injury report before you lock in a side or total.
Ottawa Senators Betting Form
Ottawa is also sliding, but the handicap is different. The Senators have been getting outscored badly since their last win, and special teams has not bailed them out. That’s important because Vancouver’s penalty kill has been shaky too, so this game can swing quickly if the officiating gets involved.
The goalie situation is a real variable. Linus Ullmark remains away, and Ottawa is working through options, including a veteran addition who may or may not be ready to play right away. If Ottawa gets steady goaltending, they’re in a good spot to control play at home and lean on Vancouver’s tired legs. If the goaltending is leaky, it turns into a coin-flip game that doesn’t justify a heavy favorite price.
For team trends and current form, use the Ottawa Senators schedule and stats, and keep the linked Ottawa Senators injury report open, especially with lineup decisions and the crease in flux.
Vancouver Canucks vs Ottawa Senators Matchup Breakdown
This looks like a pace game more than a pure talent game. Vancouver on tired legs tends to lose the middle of the ice, which leads to extended defensive shifts and penalties. Ottawa’s best path is simple hockey: get pucks behind Vancouver’s defense, forecheck to force rushed decisions, and turn broken exits into second chances.
At five-on-five, Ottawa should generate more sustained zone time if Vancouver is still leaking rush defense. Vancouver can counter with skill through the middle, but the way they’re breaking down late makes me hesitant to bank on them finishing stronger than Ottawa over 60 minutes.
Special teams is messy on both sides. The penalty kills have been poor, and Ottawa’s power play has been cold lately. That’s the tension in the total. The setups are there for goals, but neither team is playing clean hockey, and both could tighten up early just to stop the bleeding. If penalties stack up, the over is live. If the game stays mostly five-on-five, Ottawa’s edge increases.
Goaltending is the last lever. Vancouver is dealing with injuries in net, and Ottawa is managing uncertainty as well. If either side starts a goalie who isn’t settled, the first soft goal can change everything, especially with two teams that aren’t handling momentum swings well.
Vancouver Canucks vs Ottawa Senators Predictions and Best Bets
I’m not interested in laying a big moneyline with Ottawa in a skid, but I also can’t justify grabbing Vancouver at this moment, especially on a road back-to-back with the defensive profile they’re showing. Vancouver’s recent games have the same pattern: they can hang around, then one stretch turns into three goals against and the night is gone.
That pushes me toward the puck line instead of a side. Ottawa can win this without needing to dominate the entire game. They just need to be the steadier team in the third, and Vancouver has been failing that test repeatedly. If Ottawa is up one late, Vancouver’s push can create empty-net opportunities either way, which helps the -1.5 cover more than you’d think at first glance.
I’m also giving the under a long look at plus money because the market expects goals, but both teams are in a confidence dip and Ottawa’s power play has not been converting. Still, with uncertain goaltending, I’d rather keep the bet attached to game script than goalie variance.
Best Bet: Ottawa Senators -1.5 (+109)
NHL Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
If you’re building a slate and not just betting one game, the NHL picks page is the cleanest way to compare sides and totals across similar schedule spots like back-to-backs and travel.
If you prefer following proven results, the best handicappers hub and the live handicapper leaderboard make it easy to see who is beating the market right now. For premium plays and packaged cards, you can access options through buy picks, and for more matchup writeups across the slate, the NHL previews hub keeps everything organized. If you want a fundamentals refresher on totals, puck lines, and moneylines, the NHL expert betting guide is a strong baseline, and the Stanley Cup betting guide is useful for thinking about how tighter checking and game state change scoring environments.
