Oilers vs Penguins

Edmonton is technically on a one-game losing streak after stumbling 4–1 in Montreal but has stacked several convincing wins in recent weeks, while Pittsburgh enters on a five-game slide marked by late collapses and blown multi-goal leads. The Oilers are missing useful pieces like Jake Walman and Jack Roslovic on the back end and Kasperi Kapanen up front, yet the injury situation is much more damaging for the Penguins, who are without Evgeni Malkin and Blake Lizotte down the middle along with multiple depth defensemen, stretching their lineup behind Sidney Crosby. Connor McDavid has been a terror against Pittsburgh with 30 points in 16 career games, and although Crosby has historically produced well versus Edmonton too, the combination of Edmonton’s top-tier power play, stronger recent trajectory and the emotional edge of former Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry now starting for the Oilers nudges this matchup toward the road favorite at -140. I’d grade Edmonton -140 a solid B on the moneyline: I estimate the Oilers in the low-60s percentage to win, offering a modest but worthwhile edge at this price rather than a premium you’re overpaying for. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 16/12/2025 09:43am

Pittsburgh’s five-game skid has featured scorelines like 5–4, 6–5, 4–2 and 4–3, showing a team that continues to generate offense but is leaking goals late, while Edmonton’s recent run includes high-output wins such as 6–3 in Toronto and 4–1 over Detroit alongside the occasional clunker, keeping the Oilers firmly in high-event territory. Injuries tug this total in both directions—losing Malkin removes a major driver of Pittsburgh’s attack, but the absence of several depth forwards and defensemen on both sides can also erode structure and penalty-kill quality, which matters a lot when the Penguins boast the league’s top power play and the Oilers sit near the top as well. Historically, McDavid has shredded Pittsburgh and Crosby has answered in kind versus Edmonton, and with both teams averaging roughly 3.2–3.3 goals per game on the season, a 6.5 total essentially asks whether the goaltending (including Jarry facing his old team) can withstand repeated high-danger looks. I lean Over 6.5 at -105 and grade it a B-, reflecting a small statistical edge and strong offensive talent on both benches but also acknowledging the risk that improved goaltending or score effects drag this game into a tighter 3–2 or 4–2 script. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 16/12/2025 09:43am

Edmonton has turned many of its better nights into multi-goal wins, and even though the Oilers are coming off a loss, their recent surge contrasts sharply with a Penguins team that has repeatedly watched late leads vanish during its current losing streak, a profile that opens the door for empty-net insurance if Edmonton is ahead late. Pittsburgh’s injury list—Malkin and Lizotte at center plus several defensemen—limits their ability to roll four effective lines for 60 minutes and defend against repeated waves from McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman and Evan Bouchard, especially as fatigue sets in. Historically McDavid has produced at a point-per-period pace against Pittsburgh, and with Jarry’s familiarity with the Penguins’ shooters on one side and a shaken Penguins locker room on the other, there’s a reasonable path to an Oilers win that lands on multiple goals rather than a coin-flip one-goal margin. Because the likelihood of another tight game is still significant, I’m treating Edmonton -1.5 at +170 as a higher-volatility angle and grade it a C+: a speculative play that offers attractive upside but should sit behind the moneyline in terms of overall confidence. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 16/12/2025 09:43am