Bruins vs. Oilers prediction, odds, pick – 12/19/2024
12/18/2024 06:30 PM
The Boston Bruins will continue their Canadian road trip with a showdown with the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday at Rogers Place. It’s a showdown in Alberta, Canada, as we share our NHL odds series and make a Bruins-Oilers prediction and pick.
The Bruins and Oilers have split the past 22 games. Additionally, they split last season. The Bruins and Oilers are also split over their past 10 games. Also, the teams have combined for less than 6.5 goals in 8 of 10 games.
Here are the Bruins-Oilers NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Bruins-Oilers Odds
Boston Bruins: +1.5 (-162)
Moneyline: +162
Edmonton Oilers: -1.5 (+132)
Moneyline: -192
Over: 6.5 (+112)
Under: 6.5 (-138)
How To Watch Bruins vs Oilers
Time: 9 PM ET/6 PM PT
TV: ESPN+ and NESN
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Bruins Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Bruins have had a rough start to the season. Yet, things seem to be turning around as they have won two games in a row in Western Canada, with wins over the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames.
David Pastrnak scored the game-winning goal on Tuesday to give the Bruins an overtime win. Now, he has 12 goals and 21 assists, including four notches on the powerplay. Brad Marchand is currently on a seven-game point streak. He has 13 goals and 12 assists, including two powerplay conversions. Elias Lindholm has struggled with his new team. However, he managed a goal and an assist against his former team and now has four goals and 12 assists. Lindholm has been good in the faceoff circle, winning 298 draws and losing 259.
This offense is starting to wake up, and they are now 25th in goals and 27th in assists. Additionally, the Bruins are 28th in shooting percentage. The Bruins are still struggling on the powerplay, ranking 31st on the powerplay.
Jeremy Swayman will likely get the start in Edmonton. So far, he is 11-10-2 with a 3.14 goals-against average and a save percentage of .887. Swayman will play behind a defense that is 24th in goals against. Also, they have struggled at killing penalties, ranking 21st on the penalty kill.
The Bruins will cover the spread if they can get the jump on offense and avoid the sluggish start. Then, the defense must tighten up and not allow the Oilers to skate freely or gain chances on the powerplay.
Why the Oilers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Oilers are in the playoff race and attempting to sustain momentum. Yet, they still fell short against the team that eliminated them last season, losing 6-5 to the Florida Panthers.
It was entertaining, and Connor McDavid was honest about the game’s excitement. But things might be difficult in this game against the Bruins as McDavid left practice after colliding with a teammate. All news reports say he is fine, but it is something to monitor because McDavid has remained one of the best players in the NHL. So far, he has tallied 14 goals and 30 assists, including five on the powerplay. McDavid has had mixed results in the faceoff circle, winning 147 draws and losing 163.
Leon Draisaitl has been the best player on the team this season, scoring 23 goals and 24 assists, including five powerplay markers. Also, he has been excellent in the faceoff circle, winning 316 draws and losing just 238. But the Oilers need more players to do well. Unfortunately, Evan Bouchard, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Zach Hyman are all underperforming and not playing at the level we are accustomed to seeing.
This offense is starting to heat up. So far, the Bruins are 10th in goals and ninth in assists. The Oilers are still not shooting the puck well and are 20th in shooting percentage. Yet, their skills on the powerplay are impressive as they rank 11th with the extra-man attack.
Stuart Skinner likely starts for the Oilers. He will play behind a defense that is 13th in goals against. The Oilers have struggled to kill penalties, ranking 26th on the penalty kill.
The Oilers will cover the spread if McDavid and Draisaitl can spring free on the ice and can capitalize on any chances they get on the powerplay. Then, they need their goaltending to hold up.
Final Bruins-Oilers Prediction & Pick
The Bruins are 9-24 against the spread, while the Oilers are 12-19 against the odds. Moreover, the Bruins are 5-11 against the spread on the road, while the Oilers are 5-12 against the odds at home. The Bruins are 17-15-1 against the over/under, while the Oilers are 14-14-3 against the over/under.
Both teams are struggling to contain goals. Yet, the history of this series shows otherwise. While both teams are capable of scoring plenty of goals, I am rolling with the historical pick and choosing the under in this one.
Final Bruins-Oilers Prediction & Pick: Under 6.5 (-138)
The post Bruins vs. Oilers prediction, odds, pick – 12/19/2024 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
