Edmonton Oilers moneyline +175 2 units

At glance, this play will be a little baffling to some, considering the fact that the Oilers are on game two of a back to back and about to face a team that has won five straight..however, there are many subtle factors that actually favor the Edmonton in this situation.

The Oilers have been playing much better lately after their horrendous start to the season, and in the last ten games, have seen a seesaw effect of Wins and Losses (WLWLWLWLWL). Following them, it has been apparent that the team comes out very strong following a loss. Although their record may not suggest, they have also come out stronger in every game two of a back to back this season with the exception of the one where they faced Columbus on a very tight travel schedule a few weeks ago.

The team seemed very positive (Ference, Perron, and Gazdic post game interviews) following last night's 4-2 loss to the Bruins, and if it wasn't for the sloppy start to the first period, they would have been in the game right to the end.

Speaking of sloppy start, the Vancouver Canucks have had three full days of rest at home, and this could definitely trigger a momentum disruption. Head Coach John Tortorella revealed that these days off were used for relaxation, as he personally gave his squad a well deserved break (you can visit the Vancouver Canucks website to see what they did on their days off..one involved a rookie doing a duet with Sarah McLachlan). in essence, it was a light hearted week for the team.

Vancouver has been solid defensively, but as I mentioned, any significant time off that has been specifically designated as relaxation time will slow down a team's momentum to an extent. The last thing that a team coming off a break will want to face is an opposing group that has alot of offensive tricks and alot of speed. The Oilers may be at the bottom of the standings, but they have proven recently that they can play a pond hockey style with any team, and the Bruins (being one of the best defensively structured teams of the past three years) felt the surge last night in the second and third period, but were able to hang on just enough through their three goal insurance in the first period. If the Oilers can capitalize on an inactive Vancouver team early, they might be able to open the flood gates in this one, especially riding off the momentum from last night's second and third periods.

Vancouver has also lost 11 times as a favorite this season, and may have their eyes set on tomorrows Hockey night in Canada Game which just happens to be a 2011 Stanley cup final rematch for only the second time since then, against the Boston Bruins.

Edmonton is by no means a better team than Vancouver, but tonight, there is definitely an overlooked situation in which the Oilers do have an advantage. This is the start of a road trip for them, and they will be looking to come out strong.