The Boston Bruins have the Tampa Bay Lightning hard on their heels in the Atlantic Division. Both teams have played 60 games, and the Bruins have 86 points, while the Lightning have 85. Tampa Bay is on an 11-game winning streak, so while Boston has won nine of ten, they can’t lose right now if they want to hold their lead. On Wednesday, they are in Western Canada to take on the Edmonton Oilers, also division leaders out in the Pacific. They are tied with Vegas with 70 points after 59 games, although they hold two games in hand on the Golden Knights. The Pacific is even tighter than the Atlantic, as now just two points separate the division-leading Oilers from Calgary and Arizona, who are tied for fourth. Don’t miss our sports betting preview of this inter-conference NHL clash. Let’s see how the NHL betting odds will be for the Bruins vs Oilers.
Bruins vs Oilers 2020 NHL Betting Lines & Game Preview
- When: Wednesday, February 19, 2020, 8:30 pm ET
- Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
- TV: RSN
- Radio: WBZ 98.5 FM Boston / CHED 630 AM Edmonton
- Live Stream: NHL Stream
- NHL Odds: Boston Bruins -1.5 / Total 6
Why should you bet on Boston?
The Boston Bruins followed up their disappointing loss in Detroit last Sunday with three dominant wins, rolling over Montreal and Detroit at home last Wednesday and Saturday, and then heading to New York to roll the Rangers on Sunday, winning all three games by a combined score of 11-3.
In that win over the Rangers, Charlie McAvoy, Charlie Coyle and Patrice Bergeron each lit the lamp for the B’s in a 3-1 win. The Bruins sent 34 shots at the New York net, and Jaroslav Halak stopped 25 shots for Boston. Coyle had the game-winning goal, scoring short-handed at 18:42 of the second period, swiping the puck at the blue line and then winning the race to the net before finishing a breakaway. McAvoy had seen a 51-game goal drought end the night before in Detroit, so now he has goals in two straight games. Boston will need strong play at both ends of the ice again as they head across the continent to take on the young, speedy Oilers.
Why should you put your money on Edmonton?
Edmonton went 2-1 on an East Coast road trip, falling on Thursday in Tampa Bay, 3-1, before rebounding to win two nights later at Florida, 4-1 and then converting on the second night of a back-to-back in Carolina, running to a 4-3 win. The Oilers’ offense had faltered a bit against the Lightning before getting right back to business. Edmonton has scored at least three goals in five of their last six games coming in.
In their win over the Hurricanes, Edmonton needed overtime, but Josh Archibald came through, scoring his second goal of the night in the extra frame. Leon Draisatl, who continues to lead the league in points, had a goal and a pair of assists. Draisatl had the assist on the overtime goal, giving him 95 points for the season. Kailer Yamamoto had the other goal for the Oil. Mike Smith stopped 28 shots. That made Edmonton 6-0 on the second game of a back-to-back, a testament to their youth as well as to their commitment, because tired legs often lead to losses on the back end of those consecutive nights of action. The Oilers still have Connor McDavid (quadriceps) on the shelf, as he remains on injured reserve. However, they have gone 3-1 without him.
Bruins vs Oilers Final Score Prediction
A win for Boston would be a terrific way to start a Western Canada swing, and they have the skill on both ends to beat Edmonton. The Oilers’ defense showed some holes against Carolina, holes that the Bruins need to exploit. I predict a final score of Boston 4, Edmonton 3.
