Getting their final head-to-head matchup of the season out of the way early in the year, the St. Louis Blues and the Edmonton Oilers meet at Rogers Place for a Western Conference tilt. The opening face-off takes place at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 21, and it can be viewed live on Sportsnet West.
St. Louis Blues vs. Edmonton Oilers Odds
Edmonton (-135) is currently the favorite over St. Louis (+115) and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-105 for the over, -115 for the under).
St. Louis is 22-14 straight up (SU) and has earned 4.7 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 36 regular season outings, 20 of its games have gone under the total, while 15 have gone over and none have pushed. As a road team in 2017-18, the Blue Notes are 10-7 SU.
St. Louis has converted on just 16.8 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that places them in the bottom-10 overall among NHL teams. Its penalty kill is ranked 17th out of 31 teams, and it has successfully killed off 81.1 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Blue Notes have been whistled for penalties just 3.6 times per game overall this season, 4.0 per game over its last five games total, and 3.8 per game over its last five road outings. The team has had to kill penalties just 7.2 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 25.4 saves per game with a .911 save percentage, Jake Allen (17-12-2) has been the primary option in goal for St. Louis this season. If head coach Mike Yeo chooses to rest him, however, the team may roll with Carter Hutton (6-4 record, .948 save percentage, 1.67 goals against average).
Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko will both lead the way for the visiting Blues. Schenn (39 points) is up to 17 goals and 22 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 10 different games. Tarasenko has 15 goals and 20 assists to his name (and has registered a point in 21 games).
On the other side of the rink, Edmonton is 15-19 straight up (SU) and has lost 7.8 units for moneyline bettors thus far. 17 of its games have gone over the total, while 16 have gone under and just one has pushed. The team is 6-10 SU at home this season.
The Oilers have converted on just 16.8 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a mark that places them in the bottom 10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 32nd overall, and it’s successfully killed off 73.0 percent of all penalties.
Oilers players have been penalized 4.1 times per game in total this season, and 3.4 per game over their last five at home. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 8.6 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Cam Talbot has denied 25.6 shots per game as the primary option in goal for the Oilers. Talbot has 12 wins, 12 losses, and one OT loss to his credit and has registered a subpar .903 save percentage and 2.96 goals against average this year.
Connor McDavid (12 goals, 28 assists) will pace the attack for the Oilers.
St. Louis Blues at Edmonton Oilers Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Blues, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes
The under has hit in three of Edmonton’s last five games.
Two clubs that fire the puck on goal a lot, St. Louis has taken the league’s ninth-most shots on goal (33.3) while Edmonton has attempted the fourth-most (34.6).
This game features two of the more physical defenses in the league. St. Louis skaters have given out the 11th-most hits in the league (22.7 per game) while the Oilers have handed the most (27.1).
