There are several different rivalries in the NHL that are incredibly fun to watch, but there are others where bad blood is built in, no matter how long the rivalry goes on. In those cases, the rivalry very often intensifies when both teams are competitive, as players then want to prove that they are the better of the two teams. The Battle of Alberta, which pits the Edmonton Oilers against the Calgary Flames, is arguably the most brutal of the bunch. While things cooled off a little in the years when both teams were routinely missing the playoffs, the heat appears to be back in this one, as the current crop of players on both sides appear to have some genuine disdain for one another. For the last few weeks heading into the shutdown, it was beginning to look more and more likely that the Oilers and Flames would be squaring off in the opening round of the playoffs. None of us really has any idea of how the NHL will handle things when the action finally does resume, but if they jump right into the playoffs, we will have these two squaring off. Let’s look at how an Oilers vs Flames series might play out their NHL Odds and Stanley Cup Odds as well.
Oilers Vs Flames if Stanley Cup Playoffs Started Today
The Oilers Vs Flames Season to Date
The Edmonton Oilers have had, like the majority of the teams in the Pacific Division, a bit of an up and down season. They spent some time atop the division just prior to the suspension of play, but a 5-3-2 run in their last 10 games saw them give up that lead to the Vegas Golden Knights. As it stands right now, the Oilers are sitting second in the division with a 37-25-9 record on the season. This is a team, though, that has more wins on the road than on home ice, winning 20 away from home while sporting a 17-11-6 record in their own building.
The Calgary Flames are another team that has been inconsistent all season long. When this team is hot, they are an offensive juggernaut that is tough to stop, but they have seen their hot spells this year quickly followed by a stretch of games where they cannot buy a win. Not having home ice advantage mightn’t be a bad thing for Calgary, as many if their struggles have come on home ice. They have 16 wins in their own building, but they are a very solid 20-14-3 on the road.
The Oilers and Flames Head to Head
It has been the Flames who have dominated the proceedings in the Battle of Alberta this season, winning 3 in a row before finally losing the final meeting with the Oilers before heading into the lockdown.
Oilers and Flames Series Prediction
There has been a ton of bad blood in this series this season, so expect to see that intensify of these two do finally meet in the playoffs. This is a series that looks almost destined to go the full 7 games, with a lot of offense also likely. This one could swing either way, but I would lean in the direction of the Flames to win it in 7.
