It is a 2006 Stanley Cup rematch as the Edmonton Oilers head south to face off with the Carolina Hurricanes in a Thursday night throwdown. It's time to continue our NHL odds series as we make an Oilers-Hurricanes prediction and pick.
The Oilers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Tuesday. Things started off tight and scoreless, with the Oilers on the penalty kill. However, Edmonton stole the pass, and Ryan McLeod found Warren Foegele on an odd-man rush to snipe home a shorthanded goal to go up 1-0. Things escalated in the second period when Connor McDavid chipped in a second rebound, plucking the loose puck past the goalie for a powerplay goal, his 14th tally of the season. Later, Leon Draisaitl connected with a backhanded shot on a loose puck for a powerplay goal. It was his ninth marker of the year and fifth straight game with a goal. The Oil held on for a big win over the defending Eastern Conference champions.
The Hurricanes fell 3-0 to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday. The Canes could not produce any goals despite 40 shots and 55 percent faceoff wins. Also, Carolina went 0 for 3 on the powerplay and had 16 of their shots blocked by Florida's defensemen.
The Hurricanes are 7-3 against the Oilers over 10 games. However, the teams split the series last season, with the home team winning each game. The Canes won 2-1 by playing tight defense and holding McDavid and Draisaitl scoreless. Meanwhile, the Oil; won 6-4 thanks to magnetic performances from McDavid, Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Oilers are 4-1 on the road, while the Hurricanes are 3-2 at home.
Here are the Oilers-Hurricanes NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Oilers-Hurricanes Odds
Edmonton Oilers: +1.5 (-215) Oilers (+118)
Carolina Hurricanes: -1.5 (+172) Hurricanes (-142)
Over: 6.5 (-128)
Under: 6.5 (+104)
Why The Oilers Could Cover The Spread
What more can anyone say about McDavid and Draisaitl? They are two of the best players in the world and are on the same team. McDavid is once again having a monster season with 14 goals and 15 assists. Meanwhile, Drai has nine goals and 17 assists. Both are incredible playmakers that give the Oilers an excellent chance to win every time out. Substantially, Edmonton has a new playmaker emerging. Zach Hyman has six goals and 10 assists and is producing excellent results. Now, he hopes to continue his success today. Nugent-Hopkins has seven goals and nine assists. Also, defenseman Tyson Barrie has added a goal and eight assists. The Oilers will be without Evander Kane, who suffered an injury against the Lightning. He will be out of action for three to four months after getting emergency surgery on his wrist.
Jack Campbell is likely in goal for the Oilers. He is 6-3 with a 3.93 goals-against average and a save percentage of .884. He must perform better and have better defense in front of him.
The Oilers will cover the spread if McDavid and Draisaitl can make plays and get past the stingy Carolina defense. Additionally, they must defend their net and take the Carolina crowd out of the game.
Why The Hurricanes Could Cover The Spread
The Hurricanes are the team with the quiet stars that keep on producing while no one is looking. Significantly, it has worked out for them. Martin Necas has seven goals and 10 assists, including two powerplay goals. Additionally, Sebastian Aho has tallied seven goals and eight assists, with two coming on the extra-man attack. Andrei Svechnikov has eight goals and six assists, leading the team with three powerplay goals. New defenseman Brent Burns has two goals and seven assists but is still searching for his first tally on the powerplay.
Starting goalie Frederic Andersen should be the goalie in the net. However, he suffered an injury in practice on Tuesday and may not start. The Hurricanes called up Pyotr Kochetkov from the minors and activated him on the roster. Thus, it likely signals a start for Kochetkov, assuming Andersen cannot make his start.
The Hurricanes will cover the spread if they can take McDavid and Draisaitl out of the picture. Ultimately, this means not giving them any space to maneuver and not committing penalties to give them additional chances. They also must defend well, especially if Kochetkov starts.
Final Oilers-Hurricanes Prediction & Pick
The Canes should bounce back from last night's loss. However, if they start Kochetkov, it might be a long night, especially against McDavid and Draisaitl. The Hurricanes would need to have a perfect night to stop the Oilers. Ultimately, it is tough to trust an untested goalie. Assuming Kochetkov starts, the Oilers are the better pick to go into Charlotte and steal this game.
Final Oilers-Hurricanes Prediction & Pick: Edmonton Oilers (+118)
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