Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he breaks down and handicaps Tuesday’s matchup between the Utah Hockey Club and Edmonton Oilers.
Utah vs. Edmonton Odds
- Utah Hockey Club Moneyline:
- Edmonton Oilers Moneyline: +240
- Puck Line: Utah +1.5 (-135), Edmonton -1.5 (+110)
- Game Total: 6.5 (Over -115, Under -105)
Game odds courtesy of Sports Interaction.
Handicapping the Oilers (21-15 SU, 13-23 ATS, 16-19-1 O/U)
Edmonton is looking to finish 2024 strong after struggling coming out of the holiday break. They squandered third-period leads in back-to-back games in California, first blowing a 3-2 lead in Los Angeles to lose in overtime, and then allowing three unanswered goals to the Ducks for a 5-3 loss in Anaheim.
The Oilers have had recent success against Utah, winning 4-3 in overtime on Nov. 29 during their first trip to the city. Edmonton is 8-1-1 in their last 10 games against the franchise, which includes the Arizona days. Goaltender Stuart Skinner has been perfect in three previous starts against the franchise.
Skinner struggled in Los Angeles, allowing four goals on 3.14 expected goals, according to Evolving Hockey. However, over his last dozen games, he’s had more strong performances than poor ones, ranking 14th in goals saved above expected among goaltenders with at least 400 unblocked shot attempts since Nov. 19. The Oilers will need another solid showing from Skinner unless they break out of their scoring slump.
Edmonton hasn’t scored more than three goals in any of its last five games, although they’ve managed a 3-1-1 record in that span. All were close contests—eight of the Oilers’ 21 wins have been one-goal victories, seven of which came in overtime. They’ve only won six multi-goal games at home this season, contributing to a disappointing 13-23 record against the puck line. While their 12-7-1 home record isn’t bad, it hasn’t translated into a profitable moneyline bet.
This will be the Oilers’ third game in four days, though they catch a break with Utah having played on Monday. Edmonton is just 1-2 at home this season against teams playing the second half of a back-to-back but went 11-1 in home games with more rest than their opponent last season.
Handicapping the Hockey Club (16-20 SU, 20-16 ATS, 14-18-3 O/U)
Utah enters this game on a four-game losing streak. After going 9-4 in their previous 13 games, the Hockey Club dropped all three games of a recent homestand against Anaheim, Dallas, and Colorado. Their road trip started with a 5-2 loss in Seattle, and they’ll also face Edmonton, Calgary, and Dallas before returning home for a seven-game stretch.
Utah is solid five-on-five, ranking 13th in expected goals, fifth in shot attempts, and 11th in goal share. However, their special teams are somewhat lacking, ranking 18th on the power play and 14th on the penalty kill. Utah’s strength this season has been Karel Vejmelka in goal, ranking third in goals saved above expected, according to Evolving Hockey. However, with Vejmelka starting on Monday, backup Jaxson Stauber is expected to start against Edmonton on Tuesday.
Stauber, a 25-year-old undrafted goaltender, has been impressive in limited action, going 2-1 with a .928 save percentage and a 1.96 goals against average. He recorded a shutout in his first start against Vegas, stopping all 29 shots he faced. Stauber has also made six starts for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2022-23, winning five, and has posted a .930 save percentage in seven games with the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL this season.
Defensively, Utah has been good, but Edmonton has been just as solid, if not slightly better, and the Oilers have relied less on their goaltending. Over the past month, Edmonton ranks fourth in expected goals against per 60 minutes, while Utah ranks 17th. Offensively, even when Utah has been at its best, Edmonton has outscored them by more than 0.5 goals per 60 minutes.
Best Bet for Utah vs. Edmonton
Dylan Guenther Anytime Goal (+250) at Sports Interaction
Edmonton’s own Dylan Guenther has been a key contributor for the Utah Hockey Club. The No. 9 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft is tied for second on the team in points with 32 in 36 games and leads the team in goals with 16. Guenther is known for being a streaky scorer, and although he hasn’t scored in his last four outings, he still ranks second on the team in shots on goal.
Sports Interaction is offering +250 odds on Guenther to score, the best odds available in the betting market.
