Let’s break down some key matchups today in the NHL. Below are our top NHL picks & predictions for Saturday, December 20th.
Saturday’s NHL Best Bets & Picks
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Edmonton Oilers (+105) at Minnesota Wild (-125) | O/U 6.5 (-105/-115)
It's been a turbulent season for the Oilers as they have struggled to find consistency. It's definitely not because of the star-studded offense that ranks third in goals scored per game (3.40), which features Connor McDavid, who is tied for first with 58 points. Goaltending is the reason why they’ve struggled this season, and it's likely why they've lost the last two Stanley Cups. They needed to make a change, and they did by trading for Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry. That started well, as Jarry won his first three appearances, but on Thursday, he suffered an injury and was placed on injured reserve (IR).
We've seen a significant shift from Minnesota in recent weeks that has thrust them back into contention. After a terrible start to the season with a 3-6-3 record, they have been a league-best 18-3-2 since November 1st. The defense has been the anchor in that time, with the league-best 1.78 goals allowed and third in penalty kill. Filip Gustavsson is their top goalie, but Jesper Wallstedt is having a breakthrough season, allowing 1.96 goals per game with a .936 save percentage.
Despite Edmonton being a top offense, they could struggle against a Minnesota defense that no one has been able to produce against.
Pick: Wild Moneyline (-125)
Pittsburgh Penguins (+114) at Montreal Canadiens (-136) | O/U 6.5 (-102/-118)
It was an excellent start to the season for Pittsburgh, and it seemed like, after a couple of down years, they were making a comeback. The landscape has recently changed, as they enter this game 0-3-4 in their last seven games and are falling in the Eastern Conference standings.
Despite being shut out in the last game, they have been solid offensively, scoring three or more goals in four of the past seven games, but it's their goaltending that has let them down. They recently traded for Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner, but his first start with the Penguins did not go well, as he allowed five goals against his former team.
The Canadiens are struggling to maintain consistency and haven’t won consecutive games in December. Their offense is among the best in the league, ranking 10th with 3.18 goals per game and featuring one of the top power-play units at 25.5% (sixth). However, they still haven’t found a goaltender they can trust. Sam Montembeault played himself out of the NHL and was sent to the minors. This led the team to call up Jacob Fowler, who has a 3.35 GAA. Jakub Dobes has been better recently, but has been inconsistent all season.
Both teams feature strong offenses and below-average goaltending. This could result in a high-scoring matchup.
Pick: Over 6.5 Goals (-102)
