Oilers vs Blackhawks 08/07/20 – Odds and NHL Betting Trends
3 years ago
by OddsShark (@OddsShark) – Sponsored Post
The Edmonton Oilers will be desperate for a win to avoid elimination from this year’s NHL playoffs when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday in Game 4 of their qualifying series as a -135 favourite on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Edmonton blew a one-goal, third-period lead in stunning fashion in Game 3 on Wednesday night, surrendering a pair of late goals on their way to a 4-3 defeat that gives Chicago a surprising 2-1 series lead going into Friday’s matchup at Rogers Place.
Oilers vs Blackhawks | OddsShark Matchup Report
The Oilers now find themselves trailing in the series for a second time after dropping a 6-4 decision in Game 1, and have lost the confidence of the sportsbooks, where they now lag as +210 underdogs on the series prices. Compounding matters further is the Oilers’ recent shaky record against Chicago. With Wednesday’s defeat, the Blackhawks have now topped Edmonton in seven of 11 meetings since December 2017, with the Oilers posting consecutive wins on just one occasion over that stretch, according to the OddsShark NHL Database.
Plenty of reasons remain for Oilers fans to be hopeful. The dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continued to perform in Wednesday’s loss, with the big German scoring twice and setting up a goal by McDavid. And despite suffering a third-period meltdown in Game 3, Mikko Koskinen has been steady since taking over from Mike Smith in net in the second period of Game 1.
However, injuries have emerged as a concern. Top-pairing defenceman Adam Larsson was declared unfit to play just ahead of Game 3. In addition, Tyler Ennis was forced to leave a game for the second time in the series on Wednesday night after suffering a leg injury that will reportedly sideline him indefinitely.
The Oilers’ struggles come as good news to the Blackhawks, who are pegged as +115 underdogs at online sports betting sites for Game 4, but as -250 favourites to win this series.
Jonathan Toews once again powered the Blackhawks offence in Game 3, potting a pair of goals, including the game winner with just 73 seconds remaining. The Blackhawks captain has received plenty of help from the team’s role players, most notably the rearguard pairing of Olli Maatta and Slater Koekkoek, who didn’t neglect their defensive responsibilities while combining to record three points on Wednesday.
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