NHL stardom collides in Pittsburgh Thursday night as Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins (27-20-9) host Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers (31-19-8). Edmonton is three points back of the No.1 seed in the Western Conference, while Pittsburgh can move into the second Eastern Conference Wild Card spot with a win. The star power for both clubs makes this one of the most compelling of the 10 games on the NHL schedule today.
Which team will come out on top on Thursday? We’ll break it down in this Oilers vs Penguins betting preview with everything you need to know before making your NHL picks today.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Odds
Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Information
Edmonton Oilers vs Pittsburgh Penguins
Location: PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh, PA.
Date and Time: Thursday, February 23, 2023, 7:00 PM ET.
How to Watch: ESPN+
Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Recent Scores
This is the second and final of the NHL matchups between Edmonton and Pittsburgh this season. The Oilers won 6-3 on October 24.
Edmonton snapped its four-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has lost three straight and six of its last 10 contests.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Analysis
Edmonton Oilers Facts to Know
During Tuesday’s win over Philadelphia, Connor McDavid recorded his 800th career point with an assist on Leon Draisaitl’s goal. Draisaitl tallied his 700th point on the same play, marking the first time in NHL player stats history two players have accomplished century-mark milestones of at least 500 on the same goal.
Across the board this season, the Edmonton Oilers stats are impressive. McDavid (105) and Draisaitl (85) lead the league in points, but Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman have both contributed 27 goals on the campaign, making them steady NHL picks to find the scoresheet on a given night.
Defenseman Tyson Barrie is chipping in offensively as well, with goals in three consecutive games. The Oilers’ defense has been porous at times, but when the blue liners are contributing in the o-zone, Edmonton can be darn near impossible to beat.
With that in mind, it’s worth mentioning the Oilers have struggled against Eastern Conference opponents. In their non-conference NHL matchups, Edmonton has a 12-8-4 record.
Pittsburgh Penguins Facts to Know
With the trade deadline looming, Pittsburgh is in an all-too-familiar position. Do they need to make a move to acquire another player or two for a postseason run? Is the Cup window closed to the point where it’s time to start selling and retooling?
Thursday’s game may provide the answers.
While Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jake Guentzel continue to thrive as stars of the team, the rest of the roster has left quite a bit to be desired. The NHL injury report hasn’t been kind, either. Losing Tristan Jarry to injury led to giving away too many points in the NHL standings, and the Pens are on the outside looking in at the playoffs.
Pittsburgh needs to show it can hold serve and beat a playoff-caliber team. They’ve been relatively successful against the Western Conference this year with a 15-9-0 record. The Pittsburgh Penguins schedule won’t do them any favors either’ four of the next five games are on the road, and seven of the next 10 are against teams expected to make the playoffs.
Updates
Jack Campbell is expected to get the start in net for the Oilers in this one. On the season, Campbell’s NHL stats show a 17-8-4 record, a 3.39 GAA, and an .887 save percentage.
Tristan Jarry should be the starter for the Penguins. He has a 16-6-5 record this year, along with a 2.67 GAA, a .920 save percentage, and a shutout.
Evander Kane is nearing a return from injury but did not travel with the team and will miss Thursday’s game. Klim Kostin’s status is up in the air as he’s battling an illness. For Pittsburgh, Jeff Petry (illness), Ryan Poehling (upper body), and Mark Friedman (upper body) are all questionable.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Preview
The NHL odds for this game couldn’t be closer, as both NHL teams are -110 on the moneyline. As the home team in that scenario, Pittsburgh gets the lean on the puck line, where Penguins -1.5 goals yield +225 odds. Edmonton +1.5 goals is -265. The over/under total for Oilers vs. Penguins betting is at 7.0 goals.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Prediction
Few teams have rallied with their backs to the wall in recent years, like the Pittsburgh Penguins. A desperate squad with star power driven to win and nearing full health is a dangerous team.
However, Edmonton has been solid on the road this year (17-8-3). Pittsburgh has been solid at home (15-8-4), but the recent losing skid has sounded the alarms.
The value isn’t there on the puck line for either team, as there’s too much risk without the same potential reward. When looking at Oilers vs Penguins betting, the best bet is Edmonton on the moneyline.
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