Rangers vs Oilers Picks and Predictions: Oilers Power Play Can't be Faded

The Edmonton Oilers and their hot start – 8-1 SU – will wrap up a three-game homestand Friday night as they host the New York Rangers who are in the middle of a four-game road trip with a date in Calgary lined up for tomorrow.

Edmonton enters the game as -160 home favorites (+160 on the PL) which is the eighth time the club has been priced as the favorite. The Rangers, winners of six of their last eight, will be the betting underdog for the first time in their last six games. The total sits at 6.

Here are our free NHL betting picks and predictions for Rangers vs. Oilers for Friday, November 5.

Rangers vs Oilers odds

Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.

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Rangers vs Oilers picks

• Oilers three-way ML (-111)
• Under 6 (-105)

Picks made on 11/04/2021 at 10:25 a.m. ET.
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis.

Rangers vs Oilers game info

• Location: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
• Date: Friday, November 5, 2021
• Puck drop: 9:30 p.m. ET
• TV: Sportsnet West, MSG+

Rangers vs Oilers betting preview

Injuries

Rangers: Ryan Reaves F (Out).
Oilers: Mike Smith G (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.

Rangers vs Oilers head-to-head record (2017-19)

Rangers: 2-4 SU, 16 goals for.
Oilers: 4-2 SU, 20 goals for.

Betting trend to know

The Oilers are 6-0 SU in their last six after allowing two goals or less in their previous game. Find more NHL betting trends for Rangers vs. Oilers.

Rangers vs Oilers picks and predictions

Oilers three-way ML (-111)

The Oilers will be looking for their fourth straight win and ninth in 10 games Friday night as they welcome the traveling New York Rangers, who have already played Seattle and Vancouver on their current road trip and have a date with Calgary on Saturday. Despite the tough traveling schedule, the Rangers have picked up three of a possible four points and have just one regulation loss in their last eight. But can the Rangers steal a point or two off the Oilers, who have outscored their opponents 10-4 on their current homestand and have the best power play ever created?

Edmonton's PP is currently scoring at league-best 46.2 percent and has PP goals in every one of its nine games. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl lead the league in points with a combined 39 between them, and 17 of those coming on the power play. The Rangers do have a Top-10 penalty kill, but also take penalties at a Top-10 rate, which is bad news for them.

New York might have a small advantage in net with Igor Shesterkin likely drawing the start and Alex Georgiev playing tomorrow, but even without Mike Smith, Mikko Koskinen has started all six of the Oilers’ last six games and has gone 5-1 SU with a 2.18 GAA and a .934 save percentage on the season.

Offensively, the Oilers are the best team in the league at 4.22 goals per game, and for you “nerds”, they also lead the league in expected goals for/60. They don’t play the fourth line much and got scoring out of all three lines Wednesday versus the Predators in a 5-2 win. With the addition of Zach Hyman, this is the best this team has looked in the McDavid era.

Not to take anything away from the Rangers, who have six wins in their last eight, but those victories did come against four teams with non-winning records. The Rangers sit 26th in scoring at 2.40 per game, and trying to beat Edmonton in a low-scoring game is a bad strategy. The Rangers sit in third-last in expected goals/60 at even strength and have had to rely on the PP of late, as they’ve scored four of their last nine goals with the man advantage. The Oilers have successfully killed 17 of their last 18 penalties and have the league’s No. 5 PK.

The Oilers have the better special teams, offense, and have a big advantage in scheduling. Give us the home team to win in regulation at -111.  

Under 6 (-105)

Betting the total on this game takes some serious consideration. On one hand, you have a New York team that is 1-8 O/U to begin the year, scores at the sixth-lowest rate, and holds teams to the fifth-lowest goals per game. On the other hand, we have the most exciting offense in the league in Edmonton that scores power-play goals at a near-50 percent rate, leads the league in goals and expected goals per game, and is 4-1 O/U in its last five

The biggest factor in this total will be the presence between the pipes for the Rangers. Igor Shesterkin is the No. 1 goalie and is in the early Vezina discussion with a 1.85 GAA and a .943 save percentage — both Top-5 marks. Most teams roll with their No. 1 goalie in the first game of a back-to-back, and with the way Shesterkin has been playing, we’re pretty sure he wants to beat the best.

Not to be outdone is Edmonton’s projected starter Mikko Koskinen, who may have taken over the No. 1 reins in Edmonton with his play of late. Mike Smith is dealing with a lower-body injury and the Finnish goalie has earned a more significant timeshare when the veteran goalie returns. Koskinen has allowed two or fewer goals in three straight games and in four of his six starts. With New York’s struggles in finding the back of the net — one game with more than three goals scored — Friday might not be the day to bet on this offense getting things going.

Taking the Under against McJesus and the boys is never a fun bet, but even Wednesday’s 5-2 game needed a ton of luck and an empty netter to hit the Over. Edmonton can score four goals and this Under is still in play. 

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