Head coach Kris Knoblauch’s line changes didn’t work out on Friday. After moving Zach Hyman to the third line before the game, Knoblauch had to adjust in the third period when the Oilers blew a 2-0 lead. He reunited Hyman with Connor McDavid and added Leon Draisaitl to the line, giving Edmonton their best chance to avoid overtime—and it worked.

However, while Edmonton’s top stars were initially on track to conserve energy for the second half of the back-to-back, their ice time crept up as the game progressed. Hopefully, Knoblauch won’t tinker too much on Saturday in Seattle.

The Oilers controlled the game from start to finish, dominating nearly 65 percent of the expected goals and 55 percent of the shot attempts, but Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal kept things close. Then again, Edmonton has been keeping games close themselves, scoring more than three goals just once in their last seven outings.

Betting-wise, the Oilers can be a frustrating team. Not only did they fail to cover the 2.5-goal spread on Friday, but they also missed the standard puck line—a recurring issue. Their 14-24 puck-line record is the third-worst in the league, with nine of their wins coming by just one goal, often in games where they’re heavy favorites.

Although the Oilers have won 15 of their last 19 games, their goal differential doesn’t align with their odds in most matchups. Edmonton is typically priced like the league’s best team, yet they’ve only covered the puck line seven times in 22 home games this season. On the road, they’ve fared slightly better, winning seven of 16 games by multiple goals.

Backup goaltender Calvin Pickard will start against the Kraken on Saturday. If his play so far is any indication, the Oilers should be in good shape. Pickard has won eight of his 12 starts this season and has held opponents to two or fewer goals in eight of his 13 appearances.

Handicapping the Kraken (17-22 SU, 19-20 ATS, 19-18-2 O/U)

The Kraken have earned points in three straight games, but they’ve also lost seven of their last 10 overall and eight of their last 10 against the Oilers. Seattle will have a rest advantage over Edmonton in this matchup, but that might not mean much if Joey Daccord isn’t back in net. The 28-year-old goaltender hasn’t played since Dec. 22 and was absent from practice on Friday.

Before his absence, Daccord had lost three straight starts, but he’d won 12 of his previous 20 and currently ranks seventh in goals saved above expected, according to Evolving Hockey. He also sits 11th in save percentage among goalies who’ve faced at least 500 unblocked shot attempts. In contrast, Philipp Grubauer ranks 75th in goals saved above expected and 46th out of 48 goalies in save percentage.

Seattle’s season has been a rollercoaster—every good stretch seems to be followed by an equally bad one, or worse. The Kraken are 5-10-1 without Joey Daccord in net this season, and whether they can break their latest slump might hinge on his return.

This team just isn’t very good overall, ranking 29th in expected goals percentage. Defensively, they’re a bottom-five team in both shot attempts against and expected goals against. Offensively, things aren’t much better—Seattle ranks 22nd in goals per 60 minutes and 22nd on the power play. The Kraken haven’t shown much offensive punch lately, either, scoring two or fewer goals in seven of their last 10 games.

Best Bet for Oilers vs. Kraken

Leon Draisaitl Over 1.5 Points (+115) at Sports Interaction

Leon Draisaitl extended his point streak to 13 games with a late goal on Friday. While he has just one multi-point performance in his last six games, he’s recorded two or more points in half of his games this season. Historically, Draisaitl has thrived against Seattle, notching two or more points in eight of 10 career games against the Kraken, including each of his last three matchups.

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Oilers vs. Kraken Odds

Handicapping the Oilers (22-15 SU, 14-23 ATS, 16-20-1 O/U)

Handicapping the Kraken (17-22 SU, 19-20 ATS, 19-18-2 O/U)

Best Bet for Oilers vs. Kraken

Leon Draisaitl Over 1.5 Points (+115) at Sports Interaction

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