Utah Hockey Club (16-13-6) vs. Edmonton Oilers (21-12-3)
December 31, 2024 9:00 pm EDT
The Line: Edmonton Oilers -213 / Utah Hockey Club +170; Over/Under: +7.5
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In this article, we will formulate an Edmonton Oilers vs Utah Hockey Club Prediction for this NHL game on Tuesday, December 31st at Rogers Place. Let’s take a look at a free Edmonton Oilers vs Utah Hockey Club pick.
The Oilers are Suddenly Struggling
The Oilers are suddenly struggling heading into this game and they have lost two games in a row. Two games ago against the LA Kings, the Oilers were defeated 4-3 and in the last game against the Anaheim Ducks, they ended up losing 5-3. Leon Draisaitl had a strong game, scoring two goals, but it was the goal that ended up being a major issue. Calvin Pickard was in goal and he saved 27 of the 31 shots that he faced. The Oilers are averaging 3.25 goals while their defense is giving up 2.89 goals per game.
The offense is ranked 10th in the league, while the defense is ranked 13th. They are averaging 31.8 shots per game which is second in all of the NHL. Leon Draisaitl has had a huge season and he has scored 26 goals and added 29 assists so far this season. Stuart Skinner is expected to get the start in this game and he has a 13-8-3 record and is giving up 2.89 goals per game. He has one shutout so far this season.
Utah on Tired Legs
Utah is going to be on tired legs after their loss on Monday against the Seattle Kraken. Utah’s offense wasn’t good enough and the defense struggled. At the end of the first period, they were down 2-1, and in the second and third periods, they didn’t play well enough. Two games ago against the Colorado Avalanche, it wasn’t even better, and they ended up losing 4-1. The defense allowed a hat trick and that led to the defeat.
The offense actually had 35 shots on goal, it just didn’t end up being enough. Karel Vejmelka saved 33 of the 35 shots that he faced. Utah on the season is averaging 2.94 goals while their defense is giving up 2.86 goals per game. The offense is ranked 20th in the league while the defense is ranked 12th. The defense overall hasn’t been awful, it’s just been the lack of scoring for the most part that has really let them down.
Edmonton Oilers vs Utah Hockey Club Prediction
Utah is on tired legs and now they have to face off against the Oilers offense? Yeah, they are going to be cooked. The Oilers are averaging 3.25 goals per game, and they are going to go even higher than that here. The Oilers are going to get close to five or six goals here. Utah’s offense is also going to have some major issues getting going, and this will be one of the easier victories of the season for the Oilers. Back the Oilers on the puck line to end up cashing here
