Oilers vs Lightning Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game

The Edmonton Oilers are comically overdue for positive regression, and they'll get some of that back against a Tampa Bay team struggling at 5-on-5.

Neil Parker - Analyst at Covers.com
Neil Parker • Betting Analyst
Dec 10, 2024 • 11:50 ET • 4 min read
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This article contains predictions for an old game!

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Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Edmonton Oilers NHL
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The Edmonton Oilers haven’t kicked it into high gear yet, and on the surface, they have a tough home date with the Tampa Bay Lightning at Rogers Place tonight.

Tampa Bay hasn’t been a strong 5-on-5 team away from home, while Edmonton has caved opponents in with elite fancy stats, and my Lightning vs. Oilers predictions call for Edmonton to capitalize on the 5-on-5 and capture two points.

Here are my NHL picks for December 10.

Oilers vs Lightning prediction

My Oilers pick
Oilers moneyline (-147 at BET99)

My Oilers analysis
The Edmonton Oilers have been one of the most unlucky teams on home ice this season. 

Their 7-6-1 record isn’t indicative of their on-ice dominance, with a 6.48 team shooting percentage at 5-on-5 ranking 30th in the league and coming despite driving possession with a second-ranked 57.7 Corsi For percentage and 56.8 expected goals percentage.

Edmonton also paces the league in shots per game (33.9) at Rogers Place. It’s tough to consistently tilt the ice in your favor to that degree and not pile up wins. 

While goaltending and special teams have definitely been shortcomings for Edmonton along the way, the Oilers ranking 30th overall in team shooting percentage (7.29) at 5-on-5 with the noted lower mark on home ice has screaming statistical correction ahead.

For comparison, the Oil posted an 8.81 overall mark last year, with a 9.96 team shooting percentage at 5-on-5 at home. This should also be a good matchup for Edmonton to continue controlling the play, too.

The Tampa Bay Lightning haven’t been effective at 5-on-5 on the highway, and they could also be without go-to center Anthony Cirelli and defenseman Erik Cernak for tonight’s tilt after both missed Monday’s practice with undisclosed injuries.

5-on-5 Home Road
Corsi For percentage 52.7% 48.5%
Expected goals percentage 54.0% 47.5%
Team shooting percentage 12.2% 10.76%
Team save percentage .933 .893

Tampa Bay’s 10.76 team shooting percentage at 5-on-5 on the highway ranks fourth in the league and is unsustainably high. Additionally, against a possession hog like Edmonton, the Bolts are all the more likely to have a tough time maintaining that scoring efficiency. 

The final piece of the puzzle is Edmonton No. 1 Stuart Skinner finally coming around. He’s won seven of his past 11 starts, including three of the past four, with a .945 SV%, 1.52 GAA, and 2.07 goals saved above average.

Oilers vs Lightning same-game parlay (SGP)

Oilers moneyline

Under 6.5

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Over 0.5 points

Edmonton has gone Under the number in three of its past four games, and I’m expecting Skinner to show up again tonight. As noted, the Lightning will have a tough time maintaining their unsustainably high road shooting percentage, too.

Oilers winger Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has had particularly tough puck luck on home ice, with his 1.35 points per 60 and 3.1 shooting percentage noticeably below his 1.86 and 12.0 road marks. Additionally, RNH posted 2.93 points per 60 with a 10.7 SH% at Rogers Place over the previous three years.

Of course, the 31-year-old forward also projects to jump the boards with superstar Connor McDavid at even strength and with the No. 1 power-play unit, and the duo have been on the ice for 7.91 goals per 60 over the past three seasons.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

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Oilers vs Lightning odds

Oilers vs Lightning live odds

Oilers vs Lightning opening odds

  • Puck line: Edmonton -1.5 (+160) | Tampa Bay +1.5 (-190)
  • Moneyline: Edmonton +125 | Tampa Bay -150
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-115) | Under 6.5 (-105)

Odds courtesy of BET99

Oilers vs Lightning trend

The Edmonton Oilers have hit the game total Under in 59 of their last 110 games (+11.75 Units / 10% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Oilers vs. Lightning.

How to watch Oilers vs Lightning

Location: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
Date: Tuesday, 12-10-2024
Puck drop: 9:00 p.m. ET
TV: Sportsnet 1

Oilers vs Lightning latest injuries

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Neil Parker - Covers
Betting Analyst

Neil Parker is, first and foremost, a sports fan. A huge supporter of the Cowboys, Cubs, and Maple Leafs, he has managed to parlay his passion into writing gigs with Sportsbook Review, USA TODAY, theScore, DraftKings Playbook, and RotoWire, among many others. He also co-hosted the Daily Fantasy Edge podcast and can now be seen offering expert golf and hockey advice on Covers’ Before you Bet broadcast.

Neil takes a numbers-based approach to his handicapping and complements his in-depth statistical analysis with a keen eye on the markets to provide the best available odds. He loves to lean on his rolodex of idioms to offset his inner nerd. When it comes to wagering, he throws down on anything that catches his eye at bet365, Betway and BetVictor. He also keeps a close eye on CoolBet because the polar bear brand often has outlier NHL and NFL moneyline prices.

Neil graduated with honors from St. Thomas University in 2007 before completing his BEd at Acadia University in 2010. After teaching a myriad of courses and subjects, he found a groove delivering fun lessons to exceptional learners in non-traditional classroom environments. If his decade-plus teaching run taught him anything about sports betting, it’s to stay the course and use the summer – or offseason – to refresh and prepare to be better in the year to come.

Neil’s top pieces of advice for recreational bettors are to stay within your means and to remember sportsbooks aren’t bank accounts. Don’t be afraid to pull those winnings and treat yourself to a lifetime experience courtesy of a big win.

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