Friday, October 25 marks the NHL betting action as the Pittsburgh Penguins square off the Edmonton Oilers in a cross-conference clash at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, with the puck drop scheduled at 9:00 PM ET1. Seeking their eighth consecutive triumph against the Penguins1, the Oilers Pittsburgh stands at +170 to win straight up, but Edmonton is a solid – 205 moneyline favourite with a total of 6.5 goals.
Despite a three-game slump, the Pittsburgh Penguins are still a force to be reckoned with on their four-game road trip. In their last two showings, the Pens fell against the Winnipeg Jets 6-3 and the Calgary Flames 4-3 in a shootout. However, the Penguins outshot the Flames 38-25 last Tuesday, showcasing their offensive prowess. With 3.38 goals per game, the Penguins are 11th in the league; their goal against the count is 30th. Pittsburg’s five-on-five defense has been among the poorest in the league; they are ninth in penalty-killing % (19-for-23). The Pens are still determining their first option goaltender. Alex Nedeljkovic has made a few starts; Tristan Jarry and Joel Blomqvist have accumulated three starts so far. At (.872), the Penguins’ trio of goaltender ranks 28th in the NHL in save percentage.
Of their first seven games in 2024–25 the Edmonton Oilers have only won two. Starting the season with a three-game losing run, The Oilers have had a few successive victories over the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in overtime and the Nashville Predators 4-2, which should give them a boost of confidence. They did face consecutive defeats against the Dallas Stars 4-1 and the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 since then. The Oilers lost a two-goal lead last Tuesday after outshitting the Hurricanes 35-33. Connor McDavid scored twice, raising his season total to eight points (G3, A5). Leon Draisaitl got one assist; the 28-year-old center now has three goals and three dishes on his season count. The Oilers surrender 3.86 goals in return (27th), scoring only 2.00 goals per game (31st). Their special teams have been dreadful so far this season. With the advantage, the Oilers are 2-for-19; with a man down, they are 12-for-22. Stuart Skinner’s slated to guard the crease against the Pens on Friday. With a 3.74 GAA and a.866 save percentage, the 25-year-old goalkeeper is 1-3-1; Calvin Pickard is 1-1-0 with a 3.28 GAA and a.852 save percentage.
Pittsburgh’s defensive woes and Edmonton’s recent performance suggest that the Pittsburgh Penguins have the greatest chance of winning the game.