Two of the contenders in the Western Conference face off as the Edmonton Oilers host the Minnesota Wild. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Wild-Oilers prediction and pick.
The Wild comes into the game sitting at 12-3-3, good for second in the Central Division. They have won four of their last six games overall, and last time out they faced the St. Louis Blues. The Wild took the 1-0 lead in the first period, but the Blues would tie the game in the second. Still, Kirill Kaprizov would score twice and win the game 4-2.
Meanwhile, the Oilers are 10-8-2 on the year and have also won four of their last six games. They are currently in fourth in the Pacific Division. Last time out, they faced the Ottawa Senators. The Oilers took the 3-1 lead in the first period on the back two Connor McDavid goals. They would go on to win the game 5-2 over the Senators.
Here are the Wild-Oilers NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Wild-Oilers Odds
Minnesota Wild: +1.5 (-192)
Moneyline: +134
Edmonton Oilers: -1.5 (+154)
Moneyline: -162
Over: 6.5 (+108)
Under: 6.5 (-132)
How To Watch Wild vs Oilers
Time: 9:00 PM ET/ 6:00 PM PT
TV: ESPN+
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Wild Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Wild’s top line is led by Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Mats Zuccarello. Kaprivoz led the way last year, with 46 goals 50 assists, and 50 total points. He has already had 13 goals and 20 assists this year. He also has two goals and six assists on the power play. Eriksson Ek has missed some time, but had five goals and three assists this year. He has a goal and an assist on the power play. Finally, Zuccarello had 12 goals and 51 assists last year. He has six goals and eight assists this year.
Meanwhile, Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi lead the second line. Boldy has ten goals and nine assists this year. He has four goals and three assists this year on the power play. Rossi has five goals and ten assists this year. He has a goal and an assist on the power lay. Meanwhile, the blue line has been productive as well. Jake Middleton has three goals and seven assists this year, while Brock Faber has two goals and eight assists this year.
Filip Gustavsson is expected to be in goal for the Wild in this one. He is 9-3-2 on the year with a 2.07 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. He is tied for second in wins, second in goals-against average, and third in save percentage this year. He has been great as of late. He has not given up more than two goals in any of his last five starts while stopping 132 of 140 shots in his last five starts.
Why the Oilers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Oilers’ top line is led by Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, and Vasily Poskolzin. McDavid has led the team this year. He has 9 goals and 15 assists on the year, sitting second on the team with 24 points. He also has four goals and two assists on the power play. Meanwhile, Leon Draisaitl has 14 goals and 13 assists on the year, sitting first on the team in points. He also has two goals and four assists on the power play. Podkolzin has not had the same success, coming in with just five assists this year.
Meanwhile, newcomer and second-liner Jeff Skinner has been great this year. He has three goals and three assists on the year. He is joined by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman. Nugent-Hopkins has two goals and seven assists this year, while Hyman has three goals and five assists this year. Further, the Oilers have gotten solid production from the blue line. Evan Bouchard has five goals and eight assists this year, with three assists on the power play. Mattias Ekholm has scored twice and has eight assists. Both goals are on the power play.
Stuart Skinner is expected to be in goal for the Oilers in this one. He is 6-5-2 on the year with a 3.18 goals-against average and a .881 save percentage. Last time out, he gave up two goals on 29 shots to take the win. Still, he had been struggling prior to that. In his last five games, he has given up three or more goals in four of the five starts.
Final Wild-Oilers Prediction & Pick
The Wild are scoring just 3.39 goals per game, but they are the best defensive team in the NHL. The Wild are allowing just 2.33 goals per game this year. The Oilers are scoring just 2.75 goals per game this year while sitting 15th in the NHL on goals-against per game this year. The Oilers are favored in this NHL game in terms of odds, but the Wild will get the win.
Final Wild-Oilers Prediction & Pick: Wild ML (+134)
The post Wild vs. Oilers prediction, odds, pick – 11/21/2024 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
