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Two historically rich teams in the history of the NHL will go head-to-head as the Pittsburgh Penguins travel West to take on the Edmonton Oilers. Join us for our NHL odds series, where our Penguins-Oilers prediction and pick will be revealed.
The only blemish of the season coming in an overtime loss that occurred in Montreal against the Canadiens. At 4-0-1, the Penguins will be in for a tough test on the road versus an Oiler squad that has as much speed as anyone in the league and is coming off of a conference finals appearance. If Pittsburgh can pass this test with flying colors, then this Penguins squad will prove that they are surely the real deal.
As for Edmonton, the Oilers are definitely off to a slow start after a successful season a year ago. At 2-3, handing the Penguins their first loss of the season in front of the home crowd could be the perfect kick in the butt that this Oilers squad needs. In their latest victory coming against the Hurricanes 6-4, the Oilers didn't nearly look like the same team in their 2-0 shutout loss versus the Blues coming on Saturday. With this type of inconsistency plaguing them, can they get right in a highly anticipated matchup with Pittsburgh?
Here are the Penguins-Oilers NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Penguins-Oilers Odds
Pittsburgh Penguins: +1.5 (-235)
Edmonton Oilers: -1.5 (+186)
Over: 7 (+114)
Under: 7 (-140)
Why The Penguins Could Cover The Spread
Looking to continue its hot start, Pittsburgh could not have imagined a more productive beginning to its 2022-2023 campaign. Getting it done on both sides of the rink, this Penguins squad is simply skating circles around their opposition to begin the year and doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon.
In fact, Pittsburgh is averaging a hefty 5.2 goals per game which currently ranks as the most goals scored in the entire league. Not only have the ‘Pens been absolutely dynamic on the offensive side of things, but they have also been a human wall when preventing the puck from going in their own net. If Pittsburgh is planning on covering the spread, then they will need to rely on goaltender Tristan Jarry to continue his stellar start. Thus far, Jarry is stopping 93% of shots and is only allowing 1.69 goals per game.
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Not to mention, the Penguins will need their best players to ball out if they are going to combat the Oilers quickness out on the ice. With that being said, look no further than “Syd the Kid” himself to get the job done on Monday. Through the team's first five games of the year, Sydney Crosby has already logged in ten points (three goals and seven assists) to lead the Penguins to the torrid start that they currently are enjoying.
Why The Oilers Could Cover The Spread
Despite starting off slowly unlike the Penguins, it is only a matter of time before the Oilers start clicking on all cylinders. A year ago, Edmonton dominated their way to a 49-27-6 record before they faltered against the eventual Stanley Cup champions in the Colorado Avalanche. Regardless, another pre-season with high expectations has the Oilers and their fans hoping that they can secure their first championship since the 1989-1990 season when Wayne Gretzky himself called Edmonton his home.
When it comes to covering the spread at home versus Pittsburgh, the Oilers will need to get off to a much better start if they want a chance at competing. After going down early thanks to a power play that they could not kill, Edmonton could not overcome the slow start despite out-shooting Blues 23-22. At the end of the day, Edmonton was shut out which does not happen often. Simply put, expect this offense led by superstar Conor McDavid, who also is tied for third in the league with ten total points, to pepper the Pittsburgh defense and goalie Tristan Jerry with shots on goal galore.
Outside of last year when the Oilers defeated the Penguins by a score of 5-2, Pittsburgh has in fact won the last six games in Edmonton and is no stranger to silencing the crowd up in Alberta. At first glance, it will be vital for the Oilers to halt the early season momentum that the Penguins have been able to garner up to this point by playing aggressively on defense and making smart decisions when possessing the puck in the ‘Pens zone.
Final Penguins-Oilers Prediction & Pick
On paper, this battle in Alberta has a chance to be an absolute offensive showdown. With the possibility that there may be plenty of goals scored in this matchup, Pittsburgh goaltender Tristan Jarry will prove to be the difference-maker with his amazing start to his regular season campaign. Side with the Penguins to continue their march in being the hottest team out of the gate so far this year and to cover versus the Oilers on the road.
Final Penguins-Oilers Prediction & Pick: Penguins +1.5 (-235)
