Oilers vs Wild Prediction, Odds & Projected Beginning Goalies (Thursday, Dec. 12)

• The Edmonton Oilers (16-10-2) go to the Minnesota Wild (19-5-4) on Thursday Night time Hockey
• We’ve made our Oilers vs Wild prediction for Thursday, December 12, 2024
• Learn under for Oilers vs Wild prediction and odds for tonight’s recreation on ESPN+

The red-hot Edmonton Oilers (16-10-2) head to the Xcel Vitality Heart to battle the Western Convention-leading Minnesota Wild (19-5-4) in a Thursday night time showdown on December 12, 2024. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 PM Japanese Time, with protection offered by ESPN+ and Hulu.

The Oilers enter as -140 street favorites, whereas the over/beneath has ticked as much as 6 targets at some books. Can Edmonton’s dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl clear up Minnesota’s stingy protection?

Right here is our Oilers vs Wild prediction for Thursday Night time Hockey.

Oilers vs Wild Prediction

I’m backing the over 5.5 targets in what ought to be a fast-paced, entertaining affair between two of the NHL’s hottest groups. Edmonton has gained six of its final seven video games general, whereas Minnesota has an equivalent 6-1-0 mark throughout that very same span.

Each squads are enjoying with immense confidence proper now, particularly offensively. The Oilers rank sixteenth in targets per recreation (3.00) and have scored 4 or extra targets in 4 of their final six contests. Edmonton’s energy play can also be beginning to warmth up after a sluggish begin to the season.

The Wild, in the meantime, sit twelfth in scoring (3.21 targets per recreation) and have potted 19 targets over their present five-game level streak (4-0-1). Minnesota’s balanced assault options 10 gamers with at the least 11 factors, led by celebrity Kirill Kaprizov’s 18 targets and 25 assists.

Each participant with 15+ targets and 25+ assists this season:

— Kirill Kaprizov

Hart favourite? pic.twitter.com/P1e4rNGx2j

— StatMuse Hockey (@statmusehockey) December 10, 2024

Whereas each groups excel defensively at even power, their penalty kills have some holes. Edmonton ranks twenty sixth (73.1%) and Minnesota sits twenty ninth (71.6%) in PK proportion, so a number of energy performs for both facet may open the floodgates.

It’s additionally value noting thar that these groups are inclined to convey out the most effective in one another offensively. Three of the final 4 Oilers-Wild conferences have featured six or extra complete targets, together with a 5-3 Minnesota victory again on November 21.

This recreation has all of the makings of a 4-3 or 5-3 sort of consequence with two explosive offenses buying and selling probabilities. Take the over 5.5 in what ought to be a wildly entertaining tilt.

Thursday NHL Decide:

• Over 5.5 Targets (-130 at ESPN Wager)

Oilers vs Wild Odds

Edmonton is at present a -140 moneyline favourite, that means a $140 guess on the Oilers would return a $100 revenue with a victory. Minnesota checks in as a +120 house underdog, providing a possible return of $120 on a $100 wager.

The Oilers are +170 to cowl the -1.5 puck line, which suggests they need to win by two or extra targets to money that guess. Conversely, the Wild are -215 to remain inside 1.5 targets, so Minnesota backers would win $100 on a $215 guess if the Wild both win outright or lose by a single aim.

The full sits at 5.5 targets, with the over juiced to -130 and the beneath coming again at +110. This means oddsmakers imagine we’re in retailer for a high-scoring, back-and-forth sort of recreation. Control the road motion, as the entire has already been guess as much as 6 at some retailers.

Odds courtesy of ESPN Wager as of December 12, 2024.

Oilers vs Wild Projected Beginning Goalies

Right here’s a take a look at the anticipated beginning goaltenders for Thursday’s Oilers vs Wild matchup:

Edmonton Oilers: Stuart Skinner (10-7-2, 2.81 GAA, .895 SV%)
Skinner has seized the reins as Edmonton’s go-to man between the pipes. The 26-year-old is recent off a stellar 19-save efficiency in a 2-1 win over the Lightning and has been locked in recently, posting a scorching .947 save proportion and 1.41 GAA over his final 4 begins.

Nonetheless, the Wild have been a thorn in Skinner’s facet to date in his younger profession, as he’s gone simply 2-2-0 with a bloated 3.04 GAA and pedestrian .900 save proportion towards them.

Minnesota Wild: Filip Gustavsson (14-4-3, 2.08 GAA, .927 SV%)
Gustavsson has been an absolute revelation for Minnesota since coming over from Ottawa. The 26-year-old Swede has been a brick wall within the blue paint, rating close to the highest of the league leaderboard in each GAA and save proportion.

Guuuuuuuss 🚌

Filip Gustavsson stops all 39 pictures and picks up the eighth @pepsi shutout of his profession! pic.twitter.com/5zsj15wT90

— NHL (@NHL) November 28, 2024

Gustavsson is rolling proper now, with a 6-1-1 mark in his final eight begins and two targets or fewer allowed in seven of these appearances. He’s additionally owned the Oilers in his temporary profession, going an ideal 2-0-0 with a tidy 3.00 GAA and .915 save proportion.

Whereas each netminders have excelled recently, they’ll be examined early and sometimes on this contest. Count on excessive shot totals on each ends, with Gustavsson getting the slight edge resulting from his bigger pattern dimension of success and Minnesota’s superior workforce protection.