The Chicago Blackhawks look to complete what would be a shocking upset of the fifth-seeded Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 of their best-of-five Western Conference qualification round series Friday. Puck drop at Rogers Place in Edmonton is set for 6:45 p.m. ET. We analyze the Oilers-Blackhawks NHL betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
Series: Blackhawks lead 2-1.
Oilers vs. Blackhawks: Projected starting goalies
Mike Smith vs. Corey Crawford
Expect to see the veteran Smith return to the crease in the must-win Game 4 after Mikko Koskinen stopped just 21 of 25 shots in Game 3. Smith was dreadful in the series opener, allowing five goals on 23 shots and getting pulled in favor of Koskinen. Head coach Dave Tippett can at least have some measure of trust in Smith’s career .934 postseason save percentage.
Crawford hasn’t been much better than either Smith or Koskinen, but he’s the one backing the team with the 2-1 lead. The two-time Stanley Cup winner has allowed a total of 13 goals through three games, and he has twice made only 25 saves in victory. Still, he’s firmly between the pipes in all but a worst-case scenario for Chicago.
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Oilers vs. Blackhawks: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 5 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Oilers 5, Blackhawks 3
Moneyline (ML)
Despite the fact the Blackhawks (+115) have vastly outplayed the OILERS (-134) in two of three games, it’s difficult to envision Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid letting this one get away from them. The two star forwards put up 110 and 97 points, respectively, in the regular season en route to Edmonton finishing fifth in the West.
I expect Smith to not only play better than Koskinen had the last two games but for another goalie change to spark the rest of the team. The Oilers made it through the regular season outscoring the opposition more often than not. Look for that prowess Friday against the 12th-seeded Blackhawks in forcing a fifth game in the series.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Oilers to win would return a profit of $7.50.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
Take the value on the OILERS -1 (+125) to win by at least two goals. There has been plenty of scoring and many multi-goal swings in this series. The first two games were decided by multiple goals, but there hasn’t been an empty-netter scored yet.
A strong effort from Smith would let the Oilers forwards do what they do best. Look for them to expand on a late lead rather than pulling back into a defensive shell.
Over/Under (O/U)
The best bet in this Game 4 is on the OVER 6.5 (-110). The projected total has risen a full goal from the standard 5.5, but it remains at a number that has been topped in three straight contests.
Even with a better performance from the Oilers netminder, there shouldn’t be a whole lot of sweat over this result.
Esten’s NHL betting record: 12-12
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