Preview and early pick for Wild at Oilers

There’s just a three-game NHL card on Friday night, but a game of intrigue has the Minnesota Wild visiting the Edmonton Oilers in a Western Conference tilt.

Minnesota (26-24-6) through Wednesday sat in sixth place in the Central Division, the latest result a 6-3 loss at the Winnipeg Jets this past Tuesday. Minnesota had won five of its previous six, including a “Wild” 10-7 conquest of the Vancouver Canucks last Monday. It was a game featuring three hat tricks, including two by Minnesota (Joel Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov), as the Wild scored seven goals in the final period. 

Edmonton (33-18-2) was a 6-5 home loser (overtime) to the Boston Bruins this past Wednesday, rallying to tie the game in the final period. The team remains third in the Pacific, having split its last eight games since its winning streak of 16 games.

Minnesota and Edmonton are 1-1 in the season series. 

Thee early line has the Oilers at -178, for current lines, please refer to NHL odds.

Wild Can’t Defend

The Minnesota Wild have had some serious issues in the blue paint this season, 189 surrendered goals more than any team in the division except the godawful Chicago Blackhawks.

Neither Filip Gustavsson (3.27 goals against average) nor Marc-Andre Fleury (2.96 GAA) has played with distinction, and that has to change if the Wild are going to make a run at the postseason. Minny last missed the playoffs in 2019.

Kirill Kaprizov (24 goals, 35 assists, 59 points) and Joel Eriksson Ek (28-24-52), the aforementioned hat-trick duo against the Vancouver Canucks, are joined by Matt Boldy (20-24-44) as the Wild’s lone 20-goal scorers this season.

Edmonton’s Been Iffy 

They were the scourge of the league, Now, not so much. 

So, after reeling off 16 wins in a row, it’s been a bumpy ride with the Edmonton Oilers. Wednesday’s night 6-5 overtime home loss to the Boston Bruins means the Oilers are now just 4-4 in their last eight.

While their postseason prospects are much better than those of the Wild, there’s a need to be more consistent than they’ve been in recent games.

Defensively a fortress during the streak, Edmonton surrendered six goals to the Bruins and six to the St. Louis Blues a week ago.  

Connor McDavid (21 goals, league-leading 64 assists, 85 points), Leon Draisaitl (27-41-68) and Zach Hyman (34-19-53) continue to lead the offense, the end of the ice that’s seemingly never an issue with this team.

Stuart Skinner (25-12-2, 2.66 GAA) has allowed 18 goals in his last four appearances. 

Take the Oilers

Edmonton is the 17-2 (+850) co-choice (with the Colorado Avalanche) to win the title, Minnesota at 150-1 (+15000), as per NHL Stanley Cup odds.

Expect the Edmonton Oilers to have some open space Friday night, as the Minnesota Wild just aren’t a reliable outfit defensively. Minnesota has started to play somewhat better, but it has been down the road of good games/bad games before.

As the Oilers figure to be a strong money favorite in this game, the puck line is the way to go.