Face-off: 2030 ET, 03/03/2022
Arena: United Center
Chicago and Edmonton have been going in different directions over the last couple of months and the Oilers get a confident vote on current form.
They are 7-3-0 through the past 10 games and chasing a wild card spot, whereas the Blackhawks are 3-6-1 and have slipped out of playoffs contention.
We’re happy to take 2.0 for an away win in regular time to kick off our Chicago Blackhawks vs Edmonton Oilers predictions.
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Chicago Blackhawks Odds
Chicago have lost eight of their past nine home games after going down 4-0 to St Louis on Sunday, when only 31 saves from Marc-Andre Fleury kept the score down.
“He was unbelievable,” said coach Derek King. “He keeps us in the games every night, but that should be motivation to get competing and start staying in the battles.
“It just seemed like we didn’t score in the first period when I thought we played pretty good, when we were right there with them.
“We didn’t get it, they get one and then we have a ‘here-we-go-again’ kind of attitude. We just stood still, stopped playing.”
Eight of the Blackhawks’ last nine defeats have been by more than one goal and it is over two for five of the past six.
Looking at the NHL odds, Edmonton to win by exactly three is a tempting price at 5.5.
Edmonton Oilers Odds
Edmonton are right in the mix to make the playoffs after winning 3-0 at Philadelphia on Tuesday, either through a wild card place or even a top-three finish in the Pacific Division.
Star duo Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid each had a goal and an assist against the Flyers, while Mikko Koskinen made 39 saves for a first shutout since November 2019.
Individually, Koskinen is on a 7-0-1 hot streak, with Mike Smith being between the Sticks for the Oilers’ last five defeats.
“I’ve been feeling pretty good all year,” Koskinen said. “But when you’re winning games, the confidence is growing.
“It’s going higher right now because we’re winning and I’ll try to keep it that way.
“I think it’s pretty clear that I’m a team player and I don’t care about the stats anymore. I’m too old anyway.
“I’m here to win the games and hopefully something bigger.”
Getting Kailer Yamamoto back from a brief injury was a boost and defenceman Duncan Keith will be fired up here after enjoying three Stanley Cup wins in 16 seasons with Chicago.
Edmonton are 57-48 up in terms of second-period goals this term, whereas their hosts are 56-37 down in the same section.
Let’s finish off our Blackhawks vs Oilers predictions by taking 2.3 for the visitors to win the middle stanza.
Additional stats
Last result:
CHICAGO 0-4 St Louis
Philadelphia 0-3 EDMONTON
Season head-to-head: Edmonton 1-4 Chicago, Edmonton 5-2 Chicago
