The season series between the Minnesota Wild and Edmonton Oilers concludes Monday night when these teams face off for the third time in 12 days.
The Wild won the first contest at home 5-3, with the Oilers bouncing back with a 5-2 home win of their own.
Minnesota is tied for third in the Central Division with defending Stanley Cup champs while the Oilers are fourth in the Pacific and just a game behind the Kraken.
Can the Wild keep pace in the Central with a win or will the Oilers win their third straight game? Keep reading our NHL picks and predictions below to find out.
Oilers vs Wild best odds
Oilers vs Wild picks and predictions
The Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild finish off their three-game season series on Monday in Minnesota. The game features two of the top goal scorers in the NHL in Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov.
McDavid recently jumped over Dallas' Jason Robertson to take the lead in goals scored with 25, while Kaprizov is tied for seventh at 17 goals.
By even McDavid standards, this season has been insane for the 25-year-old superstar. The NHL season is just a bit over one-third over and McDavid already has 54 points. He reached 50 points in 27 games, the shortest amount of time it has taken him to reach that milestone in his career. Only Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Wayne Gretzky, and Kevin Stevens accomplished the feat in fewer games
Reaching 50 goals this season also looks like a certainty for McDavid — a mark he's yet to reach in his career. He's at 25 and we're not even at the All-Star break yet.
Currently, McDavid is riding a seven-game goal streak, two of which game against Minnesota. And while it's tempting to back him again at -114, I'm going with Kaprizov at +114.
Before Friday’s game against the Oilers, the 25-year-old Russian had his own scoring streak going. He had a run of seven games with a goal, which was broken when the Wild lost to the Oilers 5-2. He did get an assist, however, to extend his points streak to 14, though that was snapped the next game against Vancouver.
Monday will be the day he puts the puck in the back of the next. Not only is Kaprizov on the first line, but the left winger is also on the first power-play line, which is converting at a 24.7% rate, the 10th-best mark in the NHL.
This is a great spot for Kaprizov to find the back of the net and perhaps start a new streak.
My best bet: Kirill Kaprizov anytime goal (+114)
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Oilers vs Wild moneyline analysis
This is the third and final meeting this season between the two teams, with each getting a win in the previous two games. The Wild are the favorite at home, fetching -120 odds at BetRivers. The Oilers are +105 underdogs at most sportsbooks.
The offense for both teams is outstanding, but Edmonton (fifth, 3.64 goals per game) and its top line of McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman stands out. The three have combined for 53 goals and 75 assists, easily the most of any line in hockey.
The Wild will counter with Kaprizov, Sam Steel, and Mats Zuccarello. That trio has combined for 32 goals and 38 assists.
Goaltending will be the key for the Wild and Marc-Andre Fleury has been inconsistent this season. The 38-year-old is 40th in goals against average at 3.16 and 40th in save percentage at .892.
Minnesota could be starting backup Filip Gustavsson, who hasn’t played in as many games as Fleury but has performed much better. He is sixth in SV% at .920 and eighth in GAA at 2.47.
Fleury was in net for both games against the Oilers. On Friday, he gave up four goals in the loss and eight days earlier, he allowed three in a win.
The Wild are at home and that might help but it might be too much of a gamble to back Minnesota if Fleury starts.
Oilers vs Wild Over/Under analysis
The total for this game opened at 6.5 goals and has stayed there. The Over is the favorite at -120 at most sportsbooks, while the Under is getting +105 at BetRivers.
The Over closed and cashed at 6.5 in both of the first two meetings, so I wouldn't have much hesitation in backing it once more. For Edmonton, the Over is 7-0 in their last five games against Central Division opponents and 7-1 in their last eight overall.
The Wild have hit the Over in each of their last six games following a win and is 8-1 in their last nine games. The Over is also 5-2 in the last seven meetings between these two teams.
Stuart Skinner, who should get the start Monday for Edmonton, is 28th in GAA at 2.81, but eighth in SV% at .919. The Oilers are 22nd in the NHL in GAA at 3.46 goals a game, while the Wild are 16th at 3.07.
Scoring-wise, Edmonton is averaging 3.64, good for fifth, while the Wild are 19th at 3.07. With the defenses on both teams a little shaky, and the Over hitting in their last two games, I would back the Over to hit again.
Oilers vs Wild betting trend to know
The favorite is 4-0 in the last four meetings. Find more NHL betting trends for Oilers vs Wild.
Oilers vs Wild game info
| Location: | Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN |
| Date: | Monday, December 12, 2022 |
| Puck drop: | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | SN1, Bally Sports North |
Oilers vs Wild key injuries
