NHL Preview: Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
The Edmonton Oilers (25-12-3) will make the trip to PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins (17-17-8) on Thursday, January 9 at 7:00 PM ET. Current NHL betting odds show the Oilers moderately favored with a moneyline at -195 BetOnline.
Edmonton Oilers Betting Preview
The Oilers are motivated to increase their four-game win streak coming into this battle. They recently added another win when they defeated the Boston Bruins in a shutout 4-0.
Adam Henrique led with two goals, but Connor McDavid also shined with a power play and showed they still have plenty of weapons on the offensive end. Their defense recorded a shutout, marking it the second of the season. Interestingly enough, the first was against the Penguins earlier this season.
Against the Bruins, they were aggressive on offense and put up 39 shot attempts and had a 57.4 faceoff percentage. They did have nine penalty minutes, so they will need to get back on track with that one.
The Oilers produce 3.30 goals and take 32.0 shots a game to get there. Their defense holds teams to 2.73 goals and 26.2 shot attempts per matchup. This is a solid margin of error, but they must find ways to perform better defensively.
Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Preview
The Penguins have lost their last four games, but their last three have ended in an overtime or a shootout. Their latest defeat was a 4-3 shootout against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
They took a 3-1 lead midway through the third period before the Blue Jackets stormed back. Rickard Rakell led in scoring with two goals for the Penguins. Over their last three losses by extra time or shootouts, the Penguins have covered the spread for the puck line.
They fired off 23 shot attempts and were on par with the Blue Jackets with a faceoff percentage at 49.1. However, they will need to find more opportunities to score and defend better late in games.
The Penguins score an average of 3.02 goals and take 28.5 shots a game. However, their defense allows 3.62 goals and 31.4 shot attempts per matchup. This paints a negative picture and shows why they have been struggling.
Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick
The Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins betting odds have been offered through BetOnline. The Oilers are favored to win, especially since they took care of business the last time these two met.
The Oilers are 11-5-2 on the road, but the Penguins are 11-7-2 at home. The Penguins have kept their last few games close, while the Oilers have won by at least two goals in their last two games. One appealing bet to make here is the puck line by the Penguins.
Final Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins +1.5 (-150)
