The Edmonton Oilers (34-28-9) and Utah Mammoth (37-28-6) will face off in a critical matchup Tuesday evening. Puck drop is set for 9:30 p.m. EDT at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Mammoth are priced at +170 to cover the puck-line (-1.5), with the over/under set at 6.5 (-115o / +105u). The Mammoth are a -135 favorite to win outright, while the Oilers are +114 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Oilers vs. Mammoth predictions and NHL picks.
Oilers vs. Mammoth Odds, Pick
| Oilers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -210 | 6.5 -115o / -105u | +114 |
| Utah Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +170 | 6.5 -115o / -105u | -135 |
- Oilers vs. Mammoth Spread: Mammoth -1.5 (+170), Oilers +1.5 (-210)
- Oilers vs. Mammoth Over/Under: 6.5 (-115o / +105u)
- Oilers vs. Mammoth Moneyline: Oilers +114, Mammoth -135
Oilers vs. Mammoth Preview
In each of the previous three seasons, the Oilers have elevated their level of play in the later stages of the year. While their 6-6-1 record following the Olympic break suggests that is not the case this year, it does appear that their process is improving, especially when you consider the tough slate of opponents they have faced and that they are now playing without Leon Draisaitl.
Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy both fared well while handling extremely tough shutdown minutes for a poor Chicago Blackhawks side this season and seemed likely to offer a meaningful boost to Edmonton's defensive play. It also seemed likely that bringing back former assistant coach Paul Coffey would help in that regard, as his absence earlier in the year was believed to be one reason for the team's drop-off.
Over the last 13 games, the Oilers have allowed 3.23 xGA/60 and just 26.81 shots against per 60, both of which rank in the top third of the NHL. The fact that they have been playing at a higher level defensively of late has been masked by a team save percentage of .858, which is the lowest mark of any team since the restart.
Edmonton has also generated 3.80 xGF/60 since the restart. Its offensive upside takes a massive hit with Draisaitl out of the lineup, but there have been a few more skaters aside from the headliners offering meaningful contributions up front of late, most notably Vasily Podkolzin and Matt Savoie.
At the time of writing, it's unclear whether it will be Connor Ingram getting the start versus his former side or Tristan Jarry. Ingram has started five straight games, so it wouldn't be surprising if Jarry is awarded an opportunity to try and find his game in this matchup. Jarry holds a -3.7 GSAx and an .883 save percentage across 29 appearances this season.
The Mammoth have been in solid form of late with a record of 5-3-2 and are likely to finish as the top Wild Card seed out West. That's far from a bad spot to finish, as if the Anaheim Ducks do win the division, Utah will be a betting favorite in Round One.
Over the last 10 games, Utah holds a 51.23% expected goal share and has played a fundamentally strong game at even strength. Its power play has only succeeded on 14.3% of opportunities in that span, which is a key concern, and it has generated only 2.77 xGF/60 at even strength.
Defensively, Utah has remained quite solid and continues to receive strong play in goal from both Karel Vejmelka and Vitek Vanecek. Vejmelka is expected to get the start in this game and has played to a +11.7 GSAx rating and a .899 save percentage across 54 appearances this season.
Oilers vs. Mammoth Prediction
This appears to be a decent time to buy low on the Oilers as underdogs, though it's not a lot of fun counting on them to receive livable play in goal. Aside from the last two performances, it does seem as though Edmonton's game is trending in the right direction.
Prior to the previous two games, it seemed fairly clear that the Oilers' game was trending upward. It seemed like the Florida Panthers made a point to play at their highest level in the rivalry matchup on Thursday and had some bodies back in the lineup, while the Tampa Bay Lightning still look to be arguably the best team out East.
The general consensus in the hockey world right now is that the Oilers are in shambles, while Utah has been rock-solid. It's the kind of take that will be personally embarrassing if Edmonton disappoints in this matchup, but a price of +115 looks pretty appealing to me to back Edmonton in this spot.
Pick: Oilers Moneyline
