NHL Betting - Saturday Night Double Header

NHL Weekend Preview

NHL betting has another action-packed weekend of wagers from the ice. Hockey fans have a ton of matchups to choose from, including these two showdowns on Saturday and Sunday . . .

Saturday: Edmonton Oilers at Calgary Flames

The Battle of Alberta is always entertaining. The Oilers’ locker room has been fighting a flu bug all week but will have a day in between games to rest their sick. The team has admitted that at least five players are dealing with flu-like symptoms. Edmonton Oilers is also dealing with its fair share of injuries, leaving the bench very short for the next few games. The Oilers have already faced their neighbors to the south twice this season, losing both games 4-3 at home with the most recent meeting going to a shootout.

The Flames are heating back up after snapping a three-game funk earlier this week. With a win Saturday against the Oilers, Calgary can get off to its best start since the 2001-02 season. However, in order to meet that 7-2-1 record, captain Jerome Iginla says that the Flames must play smarter hockey. Calgary Flames took eight minor penalties in a 6-3 win over Columbus on Tuesday, giving up two power-play goals along with a goal while on the man advantage. The Flames’ penalty kill is ranked 21st in the NHL while the team has the seventh-most penalty minutes (125) to start the year.

Sunday: San Jose Sharks at Philadelphia Flyers

This could be a Stanley Cup preview with these teams topping a lot of analysts' lists. The Sharks stumbled out of the gate and now are in the midst of a tough six-game road trip which ends in Philadelphia on Sunday. San Jose Sharks has found its scoring punch, ranking fourth in the NHL in goals, thanks to newcomer Dany Heatley who had totaled 12 points heading into Thursday night. Another contributor on offense is actually coming from the defense; rookie Jason Demers has six assists and a plus/minus of five, filling the hole left by Christian Ehrhoff on the blueline.

The Flyers have struggled to live up to their lofty preseason expectations, losing three straight games heading into Thursday's clash with the Boston Bruins. Philadelphia Flyers is having trouble closing games, getting outscored 5-1 in the third period in the past three outings. The Flyers could get center Blair Betts back this weekend; he missed all three of those losses with a dislocated shoulder. Betts is one of the team's top faceoff men and should help Philadelphia win some big draws when needed this weekend.