The Edmonton Oilers will be looking for their first Game 7 victory since 1998 when they visit the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday for the deciding contest in their second-round series as +105 underdogs on the NHL betting lines at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Edmonton avoided elimination in Game 6 with its most lopsided win in a playoff contest since 1990, pounding Anaheim 7-1 as -125 home chalk to even up the series at three games apiece ahead of Wednesday night’s Oilers vs. Ducks matchup at Honda Center.
Road teams dominated early on in this series, with the Oilers opening with a pair of wins in Anaheim before falling on home ice in Games 3 and 4. The momentum in the series has since shifted to the home side, with the Ducks posting a 4-3 win as -130 home chalk in Game 5 before Edmonton’s victory at Rogers Place on Sunday night.
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The Oilers’ last Game 7 appearance came 11 years ago, a heartbreaking 3-1 defeat that handed the Stanley Cup to the Carolina Hurricanes. However, Edmonton has been an historically strong bet in Game 7s, winning four straight prior to that loss to Carolina, including three road victories, and two contests decided by overtime.
Edmonton also tightened up its defence in Game 6, avoiding getting outshot for the first time in the series, and limiting the Ducks to just one goal after surrendering 14 total goals over its three losses in the series.
However, the OVER continues to hold the edge in totals betting, prevailing in five of the first six games of the series after paying out just twice in the previous nine meetings between these clubs, according to the OddsShark NHL Database.
The Ducks will be looking to avoid getting bounced from the post-season with a Game 7 loss on home ice for a fifth straight year. Anaheim blew a 3-2 series lead against the Nashville Predators in last spring’s opening round, including a 2-1 Game 7 loss as -165 home chalk, and owns a meagre 2-6 all-time record in playoff series going the distance.
Anaheim, though, is currently one of the NHL’s best squads on home ice, posting wins in 26 of its past 35 home games, with its only consecutive defeats coming to the Oilers. The Ducks have built their strong home record on an offence that has averaged 3.75 goals per game over their past 16 wins, surrendering more than three goals just twice during that stretch.
