Oilers vs. Ducks prediction: NHL picks, odds, best bets for Friday

Fresh off seeing their historic 16-game winning streak come to an end in Vegas, the Edmonton Oilers head to Anaheim to take on the Ducks.

The Oilers are unsurprisingly a big favorite on the road and logic would suggest these odds get wider as we get closer to puck drop Friday night. 

But don’t be afraid to go against Edmonton, who is now the Stanley Cup favorite, in this one. 

While this is clearly a mismatch, it’s also a tricky situational spot for Edmonton.

Not only do the Oilers need to pick themselves up right after seeing their winning streak come to an end in front of a raucous crowd in Las Vegas on Tuesday, but this is also the front end of a back-to-back for the Oilers.

It would not be a shock to see them start Calvin Pickard in goal and save Stuart Skinner for the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

Anaheim’s defensive numbers will give you pause in any game (let alone one in which they need to contain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl), but the Ducks have the offensive upside to provide at least some cover for their misgivings in their own zone and John Gibson has a decent statistical profile for a goaltender playing on a bad team. 

Betting on the NHL?

You’re asking for a lot of things to break Anaheim’s way in this contest, but that’s not uncommon when you’re dealing with an underdog at this kind of price.

And bettors who are bold enough to back the Ducks can probably sit back and wait for this number to get even bigger before puck drop.

THE PLAY: Ducks +235 (FanDuel)