NHL Free Picks & Predictions: St. Louis Blues @ Edmonton Oilers

Wednesday nights’ action takes us to Rogers Place Edmonton, as the Oilers host St. Louis Blues who are flying up the NHL power rankings with 5 straight wins.

This will be a battle of the big leaguers, two teams who are playing with confidence and have lethal offenses. It’s the second of the three games for the Blues on their Canadian road trip.

Will the Oilers be able to stop the Blues run of form?

• 01St. Louis Blues (2.10) vs Edmonton Oilers (1.70)
• 02Parlay Pick: St. Louis Blues to win & over 5.5 Inc. OT (4.00)
• 03A battle in the first, St. Louis to win first period (3.25)
• 04More than just a goalscorer for the Blues, Neal James anytime scorer (2.85)

St. Louis Blues (2.10) vs Edmonton Oilers (1.70)

Both teams sit atop of their relative divisions. This game will be a good way to gauge how well each team stands up against the top flight in the NHL this season.

St. Louis have been a bit busier over the weekend, with a Sunday game meaning they’ve played one more game than the Oilers of late.

A win here tonight would mean a sixth straight win for the Blues, who have been excellent form since losing to the NHL league leaders the Bruins. They sit at 10-3-3 outright.

The Oilers have had a bumpy run of form recently, whilst maintaining a solid performance game-to-game. They’ve slipped up against the bottom of the pile teams, in the Minnesota Wild and the Detroit Red Wings.

A lack of leadership or experienced heads among the team may have resulted in those games going the other way, it’s hard to say. Eitherway, the Oilers are on 10-4-2 for the season outright.

We have to go against the bookmakers for this one, NHL betting odds favour the homeside but the form of Craig Berube’s side should be enough.

Expect the St. Louis Blues to grab a win here.

Parlay Pick: St. Louis Blues to win & over 5.5 Inc. OT (4.00)

The Blues have won their last 3 matches in OT, with two of those three games ending 4-3.

This is probably due to the fact they are scoring 3.13 GPG and converting 24.5 percent of their opportunities with the man advantage.

The Oilers, who are third in the NHL power rankings, are converting 2.81 GPG on average and will likely light the lamp again this evening.

Draisaitl (13 goals, 14 assists), McDavid (7 goals, 17 assists) and Neal (11 goals, 2 assists) have been earning their salary this year and will likely score in Edmonton tonight.

This is going to be one of the best matchups we’ve seen this season, given how the season has progressed and the fact we’ve two top of the table teams on the ice.

Expect a win for the Blues and it to go over 5.5 Inc. OT.

A battle in the first, St. Louis to win first period (3.25)

Given that this is forecast to be a big fixture and considering that both teams will be looking to take an early advantage, we really like the first period pick here.

Both teams are almost evenly matched in their defensive abilities, with the Oilers conceding an average of 2.5 goals against and 30.9 shots against for the season.

Whereas, the St. Louis are 2.88 goals against and 30.4 shots against.

Jake Allen is expected to tend the twine for the Blues. Allen has a 2-1-0 overall record, with a 3.72 GGA and .885 save percentage in his three starts.

Mike Smith will likely be goaltending for the Oilers. He is 5-3-1 with a solid 2.12 GGA and .931 save percentage in the nine starts he’s made this season.

In the last 11 games for St. Louis they’ve only lost 4 and within those 7 games they’ve either been drawing or leading in the first period.

Take St. Louis Blues to win the first period.

More than just a goalscorer for the Blues, Neal James anytime scorer (2.85)

We’ve been following James Neal on and off the ice and have been waiting to give him an NHL free pick this season.

Neal only managed 19 points in a disappointing first season with the Flames. But Holland took a smart gamble making the swap for Milan Lucic in the summer.

He’s rewarded the Oilers by bagging 11 goals and 13 points in 16 games so far.

His experienced and the respect he commands, being an NHL vet, means he’s adding more value than just his on-the-ice expertise. Head coach Dave Tippett said of Neal “He finds opportunities and he capitalizes.”

Neal doesn’t have the technical ability of his teammates McDavid or Draisaitl, but what he does is make intelligent plays, gets into the right area and shoots. He does this with great consistency.

Alongside the big German and the highly talented McDavid, we’re sure he’ll bag one tonight.

Take Neal James anytime scorer.