Premium NHL Pick : December 23 #1

Edmonton Oilers @ Minnesota Wild:

At the Xcel Energy Center, Wild will take on the Oilers who lost their home game against the red hot St Louis Blues. Both teams are coming to this game with losses in their latest matches. Wild dropped two in a row while its been worse for the Oilers. Depleted Oilers have lost four games in a row.

Oilers played the same way in their last two games. They kept up with their opponents in the first period and even the second against the Caps but they melted down in third periods. Ovechkin punished them with two quick goals to win it for the Caps while the Blues scored back to back goals after Dustin Penner's goal that equalized the game at 2-2.

Oilers have been playing with several injuries for weeks. They will start with Jeff Deslauriers again tonight after giving the goaltender a rest against the Blues.

Wild are not used to losing on home ice but they were not playing good against the Colorado Avalanche in their last game. Having won first four games against the Avs, they probably assumed it would be even easier at the Xcel Energy Center but the Avs did not want to lose for the fifth time. Wild tried to get back into the game in third but they were a little too late.

Hemsky and Comrie are still sidelined for the Oilers and the Wild are still without Bouchard and Brent Burns.

Flu problems continue for the Wild and Havlat is the latest player to suffer from flu. Hoewever, he is expected to play tonight.

Despite the latest defeat on home ice and all the flu problems that punches the Wild, I like their style and the way they play at the Xcel Energy Center. Oilers have not been playing enough defensive to match the Wild offense. Wild should win this one in regulation.

PREMIUM NHL PICK: MINNESOTA WILD TO WIN [60 minute - 3 way bet]

2.00 @ Bodog.com

Outcome: