Canadian hockey fans came together over the holiday season to celebrate their boys stirring come from behind win over Russia in the World Junior Hockey Championships. That sense of unity is very much set aside once we get back to the NHL action, though, as it’s all about the individual teams winning and getting into the playoffs at that point. As it stands right now, there are 4 of the 7 Canadian based teams sitting in a playoff spot.
The one thing that Canadian fans could probably agree on is that they would like to see all 7 teams in and hope for the best one to win. It is highly unlikely that all 7 are going to get there, though, if the current standings are anything to go by. The Edmonton Oilers look to be in decent shape in the Western Conference, but the Montreal Canadiens are going to need some help if they are going to be playing beyond the end of the regular season. It will be those two teams hooking up on Thursday night, with the Oilers hitting the road to face the Canadiens as a 1 ½ goal underdog. The goal total for this one is set at 6.
Oilers vs Canadiens 2020 NHL Week 14 Odds & Game Preview
- When: Thursday, January 9 at 7 PM EST
- Where: Bell Centre, Montreal
- TV: NHL Center Ice
- Radio: SiriusXM
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Week 14 Odds: Montreal Canadiens -1.5 (Total 6)
Why bet on the Edmonton Oilers?
If the season were to end today, the Edmonton Oilers would be in the playoffs, as they currently occupy the #3 spot in the Pacific Division. It’s a good spot to be in, but it’s a bit of a perilous one at the moment, with just 4 points separating 1st from 5th in the division.Any type of losing streak in a race that is so tight could mean dropping below the playoff line. The good news for the Oilers is that they are coming into this one on the heels of back to back wins that has taken them to 5-4-1 in their last 10 games. Included in that run is a 4-3 win over the Canadiens in their last meeting, which came just before Christmas. The Oilers are 13-9-2 on the road this season.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.04
- Shots: 29.18
- PP/PK Percentage: 28.99
Defense
- Goals: 3.16
- Shots: 31.29
- PP/PK Percentage: 16.92
Why bet on the Montreal Canadiens?
The Montreal Canadiens were in a nice run of form heading into the holiday break, but it has all turned to garbage since that point. They lost to the Oilers before rebounding from that one with a 6-2 win over Winnipeg. It has been nothing short of disastrous since that victory, though, with Montreal coming into this one in the midst of a 7-game losing skid.
Perhaps the most frustrating part of those losses is that 5 of them were decided by a single goal, so things could have certainly been very different for the Canadiens. On the bright side, they are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games versus teams from the Pacific Division, but that lone loss came at the hands of the Oilers.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.16
- Shots: 35.09
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.49
Defense
- Goals: 3.25
- Shots: 31.34
- PP/PK Percentage: 22.31
Oilers vs Canadiens 2020 NHL Week 14 Betting Trends
- Oilers are 4-8 SU in their last 12 games against an opponent in the Atlantic division
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Edmonton’s last 9 games on the road
- Canadiens are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games this season
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Montreal’s last 6 games at home
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Oilers vs Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are going to come out of this slump sooner or later, but I am not entirely convinced that it will happen on Thursday night. I am taking the Oilers to win this one in what might well be another close game for Montreal.Score: Edmonton Oilers 4 – Montreal Canadiens 3
