NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
St. Louis Blues (19-21-8) at Edmonton Oilers (24-17-8)
Blues (+130) at Oilers (-150) – Total 6.5 (Under, -120)
8 p.m. ET
Edmonton is coming off a 6-0 thumping of the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday in Vancouver. They return home tonight to face a rested St. Louis Blues team. The second half of back to backs have been a nightmare for Edmonton, with just one win in eight games in this spot. The Blues already have a win this season over Edmonton. That was back on November 3rd in St. Louis, 3-2 with Jordan Binnington getting the win.
Binnington will get the start tonight for the Blues. Connor Ingram starts in net for Edmonton. Five of the last six meetings between the two teams have been decided by one goal, and four of the last eight have gone past regulation.
Of the seven Oilers losses on the second half of back-to-backs this season, four were decided in overtime or a shootout. FanDuel offers a prop play where you can wager on a team to win and the game in overtime or a shootout. That prop play is in the “Game Special” section.
On to the player props, let’s start with St. Louis. We laddered Jimmy Snuggerud’s shots on goal prop (Over 2.5 and 3.5) in the Blues’ previous game versus Tampa and will do it again tonight. Snuggerud is on the top line. In his last five games, he has had 4,5,4,5 and 4 shots on goal. The “books” have not caught up to his success rate, so let’s keep to ourselves.
Tonight also marks the return of former Oiler Dylan Holloway to the lineup. In the two games versus Edmonton last season, he had a point in each game (one goal, one assist) and had three shots on goal (3,5) or more in both contests. Center Nick Bjugstad has goals in back-to-back games.
For the Oilers, Connor McDavid is not quite yet in Mikhail Sergachev territory, but he does have at least four shots on goal in 11 straight home games, and only once has he had less than five shots on goal. Edmonton’s Zach Hyman has 15 goals in his last 19 games and has had a great deal of success against the Blues and particularly Jordan Binnington. Hyman has 10 goals in 19 games against the Blues and nine goals in 14 games against Binnington.
St. Louis native Trent Frederic has three goals in six games against Binnington, and he has been elevated to the Oilers second line with the absence of Leon Draisaitl. Jack Roslovic is anchoring the Oilers’ third line, centering a pair of rookies (Issac Howard and Matt Savoie) who both seem interested in getting him the puck. Roslovic has cashed his shots on goal prop (Over 1.5) in 12 of his last 14 games.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
St. Louis Blues Money Line (+130) – .50 units
St. Louis Blues to win in Overtime or Shootout (+550) – .05
Regulation Draw (+330) – .05
Jimmy Snuggerud Over 2.5 shots on goal (+142) – 1 unit
Jimmy Snuggerud Over 3.5 shots on goal (+350) – .50
Nick Bjugstad anytime goal (+650) – .05
Dylan Holloway anytime goal (+290) – .10
Dylan Holloway Over 2.5 shots on goal (+170) – .10
Jack Roslovic Over 1.5 shots on goal (-167) – .50
Connor McDavid Over 3.5 shots on goal (+100) – 1 unit
Connor McDavid Over 4.5 shots on goal (+198) – .50
Zach Hyman anytime goal (+150) – .25
Zach Hyman power play point (+210) – .05
Trent Frederic anytime goal (+700) – .05
