NHL Friday Betting Preview: Edmonton Oilers in Turmoil
There are only four games on the NHL schedule on Fridays.
The Dallas Stars have a chance to keep proving themselves as legitimate playoff contenders, the Tampa Bay Lightning could smoke the lowly Arizona Coyotes, and Edmonton can show if former head coach Dave Tippett — who was fired on Thursday — was the problem with the Oilers. So, there’s plenty of intrigue to go around.
Let’s go through each game with an eye to the NHL betting lines:
Winnipeg Jets vs Dallas Stars
The Stars have been elite at home (16-6-1) and terrible on the road so Dallas might have the edge in this one, especially after notching a big 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday. Winnipeg is coming off a 2-0 shutout of the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday in a triumphant return from the All-Star break, but the Jets have still lost seven of nine overall and can’t get reliable offensive production to support Connor Hellebuyck.
Dallas is justifiably a solid home favorite on the BetUS sportsbook. It’s hard to understand why the Stars are so much better on home ice but you can’t quibble with the results. They might even be worth a look on the puckline considering how inconsistent the Jets are. Taking the over (5½ goals) could also be a smart play.
New York Islanders vs Edmonton Oilers
When the Oilers rolled off four-straight wins a few weeks ago to end a disastrous stretch of play, it seemed like Tippett might have saved his job. However, following back-to-back lifeless home losses to the Vegas Golden Knights and Chicago Blackhawks in which the Oilers were outscored 8-1, Tippett’s time in Edmonton finally ran out.
Now, Connor McDavid & Co. need to refocus in time to play host to the Islanders, who opened their post-break schedule with a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday. New York is going through its own struggles, particularly on the offensive end, so this game is a big one for both teams.
Edmonton is a sizable home favorite but the Oilers haven’t been a great home team. It is a good spot for a bounceback win, yet the Islanders’ strong defense/goaltending and efficient penalty kill could neutralize Edmonton’s high-octane offense. Consider the Islanders straight-up as underdogs on the moneyline if you’re betting online.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Arizona Coyotes
Tampa Bay was on the short end of one of the NHL’s best matchups on Thursday night, losing 3-2 to the Colorado Avalanche in Denver in what may have been a Stanley Cup Final preview. Things should be a bit easier for the Lightning on Friday as they visit the Arizona Coyotes, who have lost seven of nine (but did beat the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday).
The Lightning probably will start Brian Elliott in net to spell Andrei Vasilevskiy after he faced 47 shots from the Avalanche. That gives the Coyotes a boost but likely not enough to be worth betting on, so Tampa Bay is a huge road favorite that should win going away.
Seattle Kraken vs Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks return to action for the first time in 11 days as they welcome the Kraken in a matchup of teams that have proven their preseason expectations wrong but in different ways. Anaheim has been a big positive surprise and is still in the playoff mix thanks to a six-game points streak and the continued strong play of John Gibson, Trevor Zegras, and Troy Terry.
On the other hand, Seattle’s debut season has gone much worse than most people thought. The goaltending — especially from Philipp Grubauer — has been disappointing and that was on full display in the Kraken’s 5-2 loss to Arizona on Wednesday.
Anaheim is a sizable home favorite and the Ducks on the puck line or straight-up on the moneyline are both good bets. Seattle shows flashes every now and then but has struggled to combine scoring and goaltending in the same game.
