A premier Western Conference showdown will be on tap later tonight as the Edmonton Oilers battle it out with the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center. It is time to take a look at our NHL odds series where our Oilers-Blackhawks prediction and pick will be made. 

Despite downing the LA Kings in the first round of the playoffs a year ago, Edmonton could not overcome the eventual champs in the Avs a round later. No doubt, the Oilers would want nothing more to string together some victories during the regular season to put them in a better position on their march to Lord Stanley's Cup. Fresh off of a gritty 3-1 triumph at the hands of the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton is certainly looking forward to this matchup with Chicago.

Putting their unbeaten home record to the test on Thursday, Chicago is 3-0 in front of their fans and looks like a much-improved squad from a year ago when they compiled a porous 28-42-12 record. Fast forward to the latter half of 2022, and the Blackhawks are determined to show the rest of the league that they are committed to winning. After a 4-2 victory over the Panthers that marked their fourth-consecutive win, can Chicago keep the winning train rolling?

Here are the Oilers-Blackhawks NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel

NHL Odds: Oilers-Blackhawks Odds

Edmonton Oilers: -1.5 (+112)

Chicago Blackhawks: +1.5 (-138)

Over: 6.5 (-115)

Under: 6.5 (-105)

Why The Oilers Could Cover The Spread

Currently on a two-game winning streak, the most lethal part of the Oilers' game is their overall speed on each line. Whether it's McDavid and Draisaitl cooking up opposing defenses on the first line or the youth movement that is occurring in Edmonton within the other lines, the Oilers hope is that they possess a roster that is far more well-balanced compared to last season's squad. In recent years, Edmonton has lacked the depth to take them over the top and be among the top tier of teams in the National Hockey League. However, the Oilers thus far have supplemented their lineup with some good, young depth that could end up paying dividends by the conclusion of this season.

When it comes to covering the spread on the road in the Windy City, the Oilers are finally hitting their groove after starting off the year slowly. With the hopes of continuing to build off winning three of their previous four games, be on the lookout for Edmonton to use a hefty amount of  Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, as he became the ninth skater in franchise history to score 200 career goals with the club. Not to mention, Nugent-Hopkins is also red-hot of late as he has scored four goals in his last five games and seems to still be a destructive force at the ripe age of 29. Clearly, the left-winger provides the Oilers with the best chance outside of McDavid and Draisaitl to create some fireworks offensively.

Why The Blackhawks Could Cover The Spread

Similarly to the Oilers, Chicago also got off to a slow start out of the gates but has since turned a corner and has gone streaking of late. In fact, the Blackhawks have gone on a full-blown sprint after stumbling in their opening contests. This is quite the opposite of what occurred last year, as Chicago dug themselves too big of a hole to climb out of after going 0-7-2 to begin the 2021-2022 campaign.

A big reason for this change of heart has been the resurgence of Blackhawks great Patrick Kane. Throughout the years, Kane has been one of the league's most dangerous skaters, especially with the puck in his possession. At the moment, Kane is in his bag with back-to-back two-point performances. If Chicago wants to continue their unblemished record in front of the home crowd, then Kane may be their best shot in matching Edmonton's speed and creating a plethora of scoring opportunities.

On paper, Chicago has also been extremely efficient on the penalty kill. Because of this, the Blackhawks have been able to eliminate opposing squad's scoring chances with a swarming and suffocating approach that makes it hard for teams to breathe. In their win against the Panthers, Chicago thwarted all six of Florida's power-play opportunities which ultimately ended up being the deciding factor.

Final Oilers-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick

As hot as both teams have been, Chicago should have the advantage in this one if they can continue their prowess on their home ice. With that being said, the Blackhawks will start off on the right foot and won't look back in the early stages of this one.

Final Oilers-Blackhawks Prediction & Pick: Blackhawks +1.5 (-138)