NHL Game of the Night - Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Blackhawks

When hockey bettors were clicking away during the pre-season, scouring the trendy picks, considering the direction the NHL has been moving in. Younger, quicker players are now dominating a game once controlled by giants and lumbering veterans who were adept at clutching a grabbing within the rulebook. Now that the rules have been changed however, stars such as Patrick Kane, Sam Gagner, Jonathan Toews and Andrew Cogliano have been born.

NHL betting enthusiasts will be treated to a matchup between the two most exciting young teams in hockey on Wednesday night as the Oilers and Hawks collide. Much to the delight of NHL betting sharps, the Oilers are off to one of their best starts in franchise history, and looking much like the matured team they were expected to be this season. For the Blackhawks however, it’s still a period of growth, as the young squad’s coach and mentor Denis Savard was ousted after just four games. In his place comes a proven winner nonetheless, in Joel Quenneville.

Ironically, what Quenneville will bring to Chicago will be a strong forecheck—an Edmonton specialty. Look for plenty of big hits, but plenty of cycling down low in this game from both teams. Chicago loves to score early, so if you’re able to place bets during the game, look for the total to go over the number in the first period alone. Edmonton is quite the opposite—they do their scoring at the end of the game…in fact, the very end. The Oilers are the kings of shootouts, which puts them at a distinct advantage in late-game NHL betting.

Nikolai Khabibulin will get the start for the ‘Hawks, which could be bad news for Chi-Town. The Bulin Wall struggled in his last start against the Blues, most likely due to the fact that he did not appear in a single exhibition game. For the Oilers, Dwayne Roloson figures to get his first start of the season. The veteran netminded is stuck in a goaltender trio with Mathieu Garon and Jeff Deslauriers after leading Edmonton to the Stanley Cup in 2006. Khabibulin, who led the Lightning to the Cup in 2004, is stuck behind Cristobal Huet and was placed on waivers earlier this season, with no takers.

The Pick: Chicago

In a battle between two underused goaltenders, Khabibulin is probably slightly more game ready. Both ‘tenders will be playing to impress other squads, as both are likely on their way out of town sooner rather than later. Bet the over, and the ‘Hawks on the moneyline!