NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Oilers vs Blues (Thursday, February 15)
(Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images) Pictured: Stuart Skinner and Connor McDavid
Oilers vs. Blues Odds
| Oilers Odds | -190 |
| Blues Odds | +160 |
| Over / Under | 6.5 -110 / -110 |
Here's everything you need to know about the Edmonton Oilers vs. St. Louis Blues on Thursday, February 15 – our expert NHL prediction and pick.
The Oilers put on a clinic against the Red Wings on Tuesday and won 8-4. It’s been a wild season for Edmonton as it goes off to a rough start, fired its coach and then won 16 games in a row. Now, Edmonton is third in the Pacific Division.
Even after losing to the Maple Leafs, the Blues have had themselves a pretty solid stretch. They are 7-3 in their past 10 games and came out of the All Star break hot. St. Louis has also managed to find itself back in the playoff hunt and onto the last wild-card spot.
So, let's dive into this matchup and make a pick for Oilers vs. Blues.
On Tuesday, Connor McDavid had one of his better performances of the season. He didn't score, but McDavid had a hand in six of the eight goals scored. His partner, Leon Draisaitl, is also on a tear with 12 points in his past seven games. Along with those two, Zach Hyman is tied for fifth in goals in the league with 32.
Amidst its hot stretch, Edmonton quickly rose to having one of the most efficient 5-on-5 teams in the league. The Oilers are first in expected goals with a 57.26 xGF% and are 10th defensively with a 2.52 xGA/60.
Along with the elite 5-on-5 play, Edmonton’s power play runs rampant at 26.35%, the third-best mark in the league. The Oilers also do extremely well on the penalty kill at 81.7%.
Stuart Skinner has been on another level since the coaching change. At one point, Skinner was consistently the worst in goals saved above expected (GSAx). Now, he's a net positive at 2.1. Since December 22, Skinner has also played to a .940 save percentage, which is the best in the league.
Robert Thomas continues to be one of the more productive forwards in the league. He’s averaging over a point per game and getting loads of help from Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou. Youngster Jake Neighbours is also solidifying himself as legitimate goal scorer and is tied for the team lead with 18.
Even though the Blues have played well, it hasn’t shown in their 5-on-5 play. Over the past month, they’ve ranked 30th with a 43.25 xGF% and 26th with a 2.9 xGA/60.
Similarly, St. Louis’ power play is pretty weak, only scoring at a 16.9% clip. However, its penalty kill is decent at 79%.
The goaltending has held strong in this stretch and we may see Jordan Binnington tonight. Binnington has played to a strong .941 save percentage in his past six starts and an 11.0 GSAx this season.
(Maximize your Oilers vs. Blues action tonight with our bet365 promo code!)
Oilers vs. Blues
Betting Pick & Prediction
We may be seeing the end of a strong run by the Blues. Despite them pulling out win after win, the analytics really don’t sit well in their favor. At 5-on-5, they’re still dreadful, and they've gotten some luck along the way.
The Oilers, on the other hand, are continuing their run of dominance. After winning 16 in a row, they got a few losses out of the way, but are back to winning games handily. This team will go as far as McDavid takes them, and he’s playing on another level this season. Edmonton is typically pretty top heavy, but its depth this season has shaped up well.
I truly think this will be an onslaught and I’m leaning toward backing the Oilers on the puckline.
Pick: Edmonton Oilers -1.5 at +135
How would you rate this article?
Follow Us On Social
