Utah Hockey Club vs. Edmonton Oilers Prediction, NHL Odds

Edgar Chaput | Updated Dec 31, 2024

NHL: Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks

Two of the last teams to play in the 2024 calendar year will be the Utah Hockey Club and the Edmonton Oilers when they tussle on New Year’s Eve.

Utah
24-23-7-2
AT
December 31, 2024, 9:00 PM ET
Rogers Place
Edmonton
34-17-3-1
Puckline +1.5 -140
Moneyline +170
Over / Under o +7
Puckline -1.5 +115
Moneyline -210
Over / Under u +7

As 2024 comes to a close, the Edmonton Oilers find themselves fighting to keep pace with their rivals ahead of them in the Pacific Division. They trail the L.A. Kings by two points and the Vegas Golden Knights by eight, but have lost twice in a row, including once to the Kings. The Utah Hockey’s aspirations of winning a division (the Central, in their case) don’t hold as much water as Edmonton’s, and Monday’s 5-2 defeat to the Seattle Kraken didn’t help their case.

Our NHL odds have full faith that the Oilers will close 2024 on a high, pinning them as -227 favourites on the moneyline. Utah lags at +185.

Hockey Club vs. Oilers NHL Betting Odds

Technically speaking this is only the second time ever that the Oilers and the Hockey Club clash. They met earlier in the season, with the Albertan side skating to a 4-3 OT win in Salt Lake. Of course, most people know that, until the end of last season, Utah was the Arizona Coyotes. In 2023-24 the Yotes went 2-1 against the Oilers, including a win on the franchise’s memorable final night in their previous colours.

At 16-14-6 on the season, they’re more competitive than they have been in years. Impressively, they’ve tallied a 11-7-2 road record thus far, making them a more formidable opponent when they travel. Their ATS tally is quite good as well, as their efforts against the puck line have earned a 19-13-0 record. Forward Clayton Keller is their top scorer and, at the time of writing, just cracked the NHL’s top 30 in points with 37 (13 goals, 27 assists).

On the other end of the spectrum, Edmonton is a dubious proposition when considering the spread. Call it the negative side effects of weighty expectations, but the Oilers are only 12-21-0 ATS on the season. The club has also lost two games in a row, thus putting a slight dent in their chase after the Kings and especially the Golden Knights.

Both teams have done a good job at limiting the opposition from netting against them, with Utah in 13th league-wide in goals against (2.94) and Edmonton 12th (2.89).

Utah Hockey Club

For all the success the Utah Hockey Club has had this season when playing away from home, they hit a roadblock on Monday night in Seattle, losing decisively 5-2.

One of the few things that went their way was the 100 per cent efficiency on the power play, although that was the result of cashing in on their lone opportunity. Logan Cooley did the honours in the first period by whipping a one-timer from the right face-off circle off a pass from Clayton Keller.

Alexander Kerfoot gave the visitors some hope in the middle frame when his sixth of the campaign levelled the terms after the club trailed 2-1. That said, the third period was by far their worst and saw the side cough up a series of breakaway chances to Seattle. The Kraken eventually broke the deadlock and made Utah pay for its defensive laxity.

Karel Vejmelka shielded his net from 28 of the 32 shots he faced.

Edmonton Oilers

The California swing didn’t go according to plan at all for the Oilers. Moreover, they lost to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday in a similar fashion to what transpired the day before versus the Kings.

If there is anything Kris Knoblauch’s side needs to work on these days, it’s its ability to preserve and build on leads. On Sunday, first period goals from Leon Draisaitl (on the power play, no less) and Evan Bouchard gave the visitors a 2-0 cushion. They looked good and played with confidence. Draisaitl even earned a brace in the second period to make it 3-1 at the time.

From that point onwards, Edmonton’s defence left Calvin Pickard hanging. The Ducks scored four unanswered en route to an impressive 5-3 victory. Home cooking might serve the club well, as they’ve emergd victorious in the last three home games.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Hockey Club vs. Oilers?

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