NHL Hockey Betting: Calgary Flames at Edmonton Oilers
One of the nastiest rivalries in the NHL is renewed on Saturday at Rogers Place as the Calgary Flames visit the Edmonton Oilers. It’s not so much that these teams don’t like each other–these cities don’t like each other and the hockey teams are caught in the crossfire. Adding to the intensity this season is that this game has some very important implications in the standings. Right now, the Edmonton Oilers are in third place in the Pacific Division one point back of second place San Jose and 3 back of division leading Anaheim. They’re also 3 up on fourth place Calgary who is 2 up on Los Angeles and 3 up on Vancouver. With the exception of the bumbling Arizona Coyotes every team in the Pacific is separated by a total of nine points.
Edmonton comes into this game with a 5-3-2 record in their last ten games and Connor McDavid leading the NHL in points, averaging a better than a point a game pace with 50. Calgary is 6-4-0 in their last ten and showing some consistency after a poor start to the season. The Flames are coming in having played last night at home, losing 2-1 to New Jersey. Brian Elliott will get the start in net here for Calgary–he spent much of the first half of the season ‘in the doghouse’ but has been playing much better of late and has regained the starting job. Elliott is 8-10-1 with a 2.95 goals against average and a 0.889 save percentage. He’ll be opposed by the Oilers workhorse Cam Talbot who has started 39 games this year. Talbot has a record of 21-12-6 with a 2.49 goals against average and a 0.917 save percentage with 3 shutouts.
This series has been all Calgary until recently and the Flames have won 8 of the last 12 meetings including 4 of 6 in Edmonton. Things are changing, however, and the Oilers have won both games between the teams so far this season. Calgary lost last time at the Scotiabank Saddledome and the Flames are 7-2 this year revenging a home loss. That and the general level of parity between the teams makes this price look a little high.
BET CALGARY FLAMES +140 OVER EDMONTON OILERS
