Oilers vs Penguins Prediction, Odds & Picks (Feb. 23): Which Side Will End Its Slump?

Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers are set to take on Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins in one of several NHL games scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 23. Edmonton blew Pittsburgh out 6-3 during their first encounter of the season back in October, leaving time to tell if history repeats itself in tonight’s Oilers vs Penguins matchup.

Penguins don’t fly but we do ? pic.twitter.com/Hg9ToqL3em

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 23, 2023

The Oilers broke out of a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had three points apiece in the victory while Stuart Skinner made 24 saves on 26 shots.

Meanwhile, the Penguins losing streak reached three games with a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders three nights ago. If Pittsburgh falters tonight, it’ll be the third time this season that the club has a losing streak of four-plus games.

While tonight’s Oilers vs Penguins contest should be an entertaining affair, there are some betting opportunities that can amplify that entertainment. Here’s a look at BetOnline Sportsbook’s latest odds for the game, as well as a prediction and the best bet to make, courtesy of Betting News.

Edmonton Oilers vs Pittsburgh Penguins Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Edmonton Oilers (31-19-8, 17-8-3 Away) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (27-20-9, 15-8-4 Home)
• Venue & Location: PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
• Date: Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023
• Game Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Time
• Oilers vs Penguins TV Info: ESPN+

Oilers vs Penguins Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Thursday, Feb. 23 at 9:15 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Edmonton Oilers -1.5 (+186)
• Pittsburgh Penguins +1.5 (-235)

Over/Under

• Over 7 Goals (-118)
• Under 7 Goals (-104)

Moneyline

• Edmonton Oilers -106
• Pittsburgh Penguins -113

Oilers vs Penguins Betting Trends

• Edmonton is 1-4 straight up in its last five games.
• Pittsburgh is 2-4 straight up in its last six games in February.
• The total has hit the over in nine of Edmonton’s last 11 road games.
• The total has hit the over in six of Pittsburgh’s last eight games against the Pacific Division.
• The total has hit the under in five of the last six Edmonton-Pittsburgh matchups played at PPG Paints Arena.

Can Oilers Continue Grabbing Points?

Upon first glance, there isn’t much to like about the fact that the Oilers have lost four of their last five games. Having said that, three of those losses came after regulation, meaning the Oilers enter tonight’s game riding a four-game point streak.

The Oilers have actually done a tremendous job at grabbing points lately. They only have one regulation loss in their last 16 games, going 10-1-5 over that stretch. For reference, only the Carolina Hurricanes have more points (27) than the Oilers (25) during that period.

Unsurprisingly, McDavid leads his teammates with 28 points over the last 16 games. Draisaitl isn’t too far behind him with 23 while Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have also been producing defense, tallying 23 and 22 points, respectively, over that span.

The Oilers’ buzzing offense has paid off on the power play as well. They’re 16-of-47 (34.0%) on the man advantage since Jan. 11 and show no signs of slowing down, amassing seven PP goals in the last six outings.

I can see the Oilers’ power-play unit continuing to find success tonight. The Penguins’ penalty kill has left a lot on the table lately, operating at a 70.6% success rate over the last six games.

Edmonton also has been getting the better of Pittsburgh in their recent meetings. The Oilers have four wins in their last five clashes with the Penguins, including a 5-1 victory in their last trip to PPG Paints Arena.

Penguins Struggling to Look Competitive

Although they’ve shown flashes of promise during the 2022-23 campaign, the Penguins haven’t been playing the best hockey lately.

The Penguins have lost four of their last five games with the only victory coming against the lowly San Jose Sharks. They’ve allowed four-plus goals in each of those losses while also tasting defeat by a multi-goal margin three times.

Needless to say, the Pens could use a strong goaltending performance from Tristan Jarry tonight. The 27-year-old netminder — who made his return from a two-month absence against the Islanders — has had a tough time winning, going 1-3-2 in his last seven appearances with a 2.88 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.

The best way to help Jarry succeed is if the Penguins’ best players actually show up. Evgeni Malkin only has two goals in his last seven games. Crosby has found the back of the net just four times in his last 16 outings. Even Jeff Carter has tallied a single goal in his last 17 games.

There’s no way that the Penguins can keep pace with the Oilers if they get similar play tonight. Edmonton’s offense ran over Pittsburgh in the first meeting of the season and history will repeat itself if the Penguins’ best players keep being allergic to scoring.

Oilers vs Penguins Prediction and Picks

Oilers vs Penguins Prediction: Oilers 5, Penguins 3

Oilers vs Penguins Picks: Oilers ML (Best Value: -106 at BetOnline) & Over 7 Goals (Best Value: -118 at BetOnline)

I’m siding with the Oilers picking up a win tonight. Neither team has been perfect lately, but Edmonton has shown the ability to pick up points and has kept things close in defeat. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh consistently loses by multiple goals and has struggled on the penalty kill, which is an area that its opponent can exploit.

I also recommend backing the total going over seven goals. Both teams haven’t been able to keep the puck out of their own net, proven by the fact that both Edmonton and Pittsburgh have allowed four-plus goals in four out of their last five respective games.

With the last Oilers vs Penguins matchup featuring nine goals, viewers should brace themselves for more offense tonight.

Other Edmonton vs Pittsburgh Betting Resources

• Oilers vs Penguins Consensus Picks, Score Projections & Betting Stats