Edmonton Oilers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Prediction, NHL Odds
It’s a spectacular individual matchup between former Hart Trophy winners and future first-ballot Hall of Famers on Tuesday night when Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers visit Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in their 16th all-time matchup.
The Oilers are -152 on the NHL odds with a total of 6.5.
Oilers vs. Penguins NHL Betting Odds
How many more chances will see legends, former Hart Trophy winners and future Hall of Famers Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby face off? Probably not too many. McDavid is still in his prime at age 28 and could definitely win a fourth or even fifth career Hart Trophy down the road.
The 38-year-old Crosby is nearing the end of his career and largely expected to retire after next season when his contract expires. He won’t be adding to his two career Hart Trophies. But Crosby and McDavid will be the two leaders of Team Canada’s hockey team at the February Olympics in Italy. Again, assuming that way-behind arena construction is finished in time.
It’s the first meeting of the season between the clubs. The Penguins visit Edmonton on Jan. 22, not too far ahead of when the NHL goes on a break for the Olympics. They split last year, each winning by multiple goals at home. McDavid had won seven straight in the series until that loss in Pittsburgh.
Several players led the Oilers with three points in the series, including McDavid (all assists) and Leon Draisaitl (all goals). Stuart Skinner was in net for both and had a 2.56 GA and .906 SV but now is with Pittsburgh. Bryan Rust (1G, 2A) and Crosby (1G, 2A) led the Pens with three points each.
The over-under is 6-4 in the past 10 meetings.
Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton is 1-1 on this five-game trip after a disappointing effort in a 4-1 loss at Montreal on Saturday after playing really well Friday in a 6-3 win in Toronto. Zach Hyman had the lone goal Saturday, his seventh of the year, but the team was already down 3-0 in the second. That came on the power play, but the Oilers also allowed two PP goals on four chances. Connor McDavid had one of the assists on Hyman’s goal but his streak of five straight games with multiple points ended.
Leon Draisaitl’s five-game points streak ended, and he remains at 999 points career. He is set to become the first German player with 1,000 NHL points and the fifth-fastest player born outside North America to reach the milestone. Peter Stastny holds the mark of 682 games. This will be No. 824 for Draisaitl.
Because it was Calvin Pickard in net in Montreal, it should be former Penguin Tristan Jarry here. He was acquired on Friday from Pittsburgh for goalie Stuart Skinner, defenceman Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick for Jarry and forward Sam Poulin. Edmonton is 6-12 in its past 18 away.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh had been overachieving this year but enters on a season-high five-game skid after a shocking 5-4 OT home loss to Utah on Sunday. Shocking because the Pens led 3-0 entering the third. But Dylan Guenther won it at 0:42 of OT.
Four of the five losses in this skid have been past regulation. Pittsburgh has become the first team in NHL history to lose consecutive games after leading by three-plus goals in the third period. It led 5-1 at home on Saturday in a 6-5 OT loss to San Jose. Erik Karlsson recorded an assist on the Penguins’ fourth goal Saturday and became the third defenceman in NHL history to factor on 75 third-period game-tying goals, joining Ray Bourque (94) and Phil Housley (80).
Crosby was held without a point Saturday. He has 1,721 career points, two from tying Mario Lemieux (1,723) for the most points in franchise history and eighth-most points in NHL history. Crosby would become the ninth active player to lead a franchise in points. Not clear who will start in net after the Tristan Jarry trade over the weekend, but it could be former Oiler Stuart Skinner in his team debut. The over is 6-3 in Edmonton’s past nine.
EDM
PIT