The Oilers will finish January with six consecutive home games, but first, they will play six of seven on the road. Edmonton began its four-game road trip on Saturday with a 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken and will now face a pair of Eastern Conference teams, starting with the Boston Bruins.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch has adjusted his line combinations ahead of Tuesday’s game in Boston, promoting Jeff Skinner and Adam Henrique from the fourth line to skate alongside Zach Hyman. Connor Brown will remain on the top line with Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but as seen against Anaheim on Friday, Knoblauch is willing to make in-game adjustments if loading up one line with McDavid, Hyman, and Leon Draisaitl proves necessary.

Saturday’s win in Seattle marked Edmonton’s third straight victory and its 18th in the last 25 games. This improved the Oilers to a 10-5-2 record on the road this season, making them a slightly profitable moneyline bet away from home. They’ve also finished games in regulation more often, with only four trips to overtime on the road and eight regulation wins. Additionally, the Oilers have covered the puck line in all but two of their 10 road victories this season.

Stuart Skinner, who has been off since Jan. 3, will almost certainly be back in the crease on Tuesday. According to Evolving Hockey, Skinner has saved the team nearly four goals above expected since the start of December, which ranks 17th out of 30 goaltenders that have faced at least 300 unblocked shot attempts. Skinner is 7-2-1 over his last 10 starts and he is 3-2-1 against the Bruins in his career.

Handicapping the Bruins (20-22 SU, 13-29 ATS, 20-21-1 O/U)

Boston extended its losing streak to four games after dropping back-to-back road games over the weekend. The Bruins have lost four of their last five, with losses to the Capitals, Maple Leafs, Rangers, and Islanders. They also blew a two-goal lead in Edmonton, losing in overtime, on Dec. 19. Boston is 4-6 straight up in its last 10 meetings against the Oilers dating back to the start of the 2018-19 season.

Under interim head coach Joe Sacco, the Bruins boast strong underlying metrics, ranking eighth in five-on-five expected goals percentage and shots percentage, per Evolving Hockey. However, their solid play hasn’t translated to wins against stronger teams. The team is 12-8-2 under Sacco but has just two victories in seven games against playoff-bound opponents since he took over.

The Bruins haven’t been a profitable bet year-to-date. They’ve been favored in 28 of their 42 games this season, but their lackluster performance as underdogs is the main reason they rank among the five least-profitable moneyline bets this season. Boston is just 4-10 straight up as an underdog. Notably, this will be only the third time this season they’ve been underdogs on home ice.

Tuesday’s game will be Boston’s third in four days, but goaltender Jeremy Swayman hasn’t played since Jan. 4, giving him a few days to rest. While Swayman has shown improvement under Sacco, he has yet to regain his form. The 26-year-old’s .891 save percentage remains well below his career numbers, and although he’s now performing closer to an average goaltender compared to his struggles earlier in the season, it’s still enough. Swayman has lost his last three starts in a row.

Best Bet for Oilers vs. Bruins

Leon Draisaitl Anytime Goal (+135) at Sports Interaction

Sometimes, you just have to ride the hot hand, and that’s my strategy for Tuesday’s game in Boston. Draisaitl has scored in 24 of 39 games this season, including at least one goal in 11 of 18 road games. Additionally, he has eight goals in his last 10 games against Boston, scoring in five of them. The 29-year-old has also tallied 12 goals in his last 15 games, making his +135 odds highly appealing.

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Oilers vs. Bruins Odds

Handicapping the Oilers (24-15 SU, 15-24 ATS, 16-22-1 O/U)

Handicapping the Bruins (20-22 SU, 13-29 ATS, 20-21-1 O/U)

Best Bet for Oilers vs. Bruins

Leon Draisaitl Anytime Goal (+135) at Sports Interaction

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