Edmonton Oilers vs. Calgary Flames Prediction, NHL Odds
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Edgar Chaput
After a few days off for Christmas, what better way to burn those calories than with a new chapter in the Battle of Alberta? Tuesday night sees the Edmonton Oilers visit their eternal rivals, the Calgary Flames.
Both teams have struggled to develop consistency this season after impressive campaigns last year. Defeating an arch-rival is certainly one way to potentially initiate winds of change.
Darryl Sutter’s Flames are placed as 1.5-point favourites on the NHL odds (+166 on the puck line). The over-under is established at 6.5 goals.
Oilers vs. Flames NHL Betting Odds
There is no shortage of history between these sides. Interestingly, it took a long time for Edmonton and Calgary to meet again in the playoffs. Despite each team making multiple post-season appearances in the 90s, 00, and 10s, there was a 31-year gap between their clash in 1991 and in the second round last spring.
Much excitement and hoopla surrounded the provincially bound playoff series, but it ended with surprising expediency. Edmonton knocked out Calgary after only five games, with, of course, Connor McDavid scoring in overtime of the fifth match to grant his side the series.
The 2021-2022 regular season scheduled four games, with the Oilers and Flames sharing the spoils, two games apiece. Tonight marks the third meeting of the present campaign. Of note, the road teams have claimed the first two.
As far as performances against the spread, Edmonton is 17-18, a telltale sign of how relatively inconsistent the club is these days. Their win-loss record isn’t much better at 18-15-2.
Calgary is also struggling, having only merited a 14-21 record ATS. Not helping matters is their 2-5 tally over the past seven contests.
Edmonton Oilers
On Friday night it looked as if Jay Woodcroft and his ensemble were going to deserve a relaxing Christmas break with a win over the Canucks under their belt. The home team Oilers skated circles around their opponents, McDavid potted in his 30th goal on a sweet pass from Zach Hyman, a goal that emphasized how much more ready and hungry they were.
Less than a minute into the second period, the seed of doubt was planted. Through some good forechecking from the Canucks deep in Edmonton’s end, J.T. Miller ripped a shot that gave goalie Stuart Skinner problems. His initial effort prevented a goal, but the puck oddly bounced off him and above his head, careered over him and dropped into the net. For all their efforts, the Oilers only led 2-1 and that funky goal was all Vancouver needed to whisk away momentum. They scored five unanswered (one in an empty net) and left Edmonton as 5-2 winners.
The Oilers have no problems scoring, ranking third in goals per game. Preventing others from netting is their main issue, as they sit 24th in that category.
Calgary Flames
The Flames weren’t the only team in recent weeks to struggle against the Anaheim Ducks as they did on Friday night, but they ultimately did enough to earn full points 3-2 in OT.
Perhaps saying that Calgary struggled is too strong a term. For much of the evening, the visiting Flames looked like the better side. They outshot Anaheim by a wide margin (45-23) and won the face-off battle 37-28. Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal simply had one of those nights that made one wonder if the side that wasn’t playing very well was going to steal it. It took longer than they would have liked, but the Flames prevailed in the extra frame courtesy of a wicked wrist shot from the left off Rasmus Andersson’s stick.
