Friday NHL Best Bets March 13: Will Oilers slow down Blues in St. Louis?

Friday’s NHL slate is small with just two games on the schedule, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t betting value. When the board is limited, sportsbooks tend to shade lines toward public teams, which can create opportunities if you focus on matchups, team strengths, and realistic price ranges. Continue reading our Friday NHL Best Bets March 13 column for betting selections on three of tonight’s games.

NHL Best Bets: Islanders -127 (vs. Kings), 7:00 p.m. ET

The Islanders come into this matchup with a strong edge in both goaltending and recent form, making the -127 price a solid value.

New York has been driven offensively by Mathew Barzal, who leads the team with 60 points and 42 assists, while Bo Horvat leads the club with 28 goals this season.

Between the pipes, Ilya Sorokin remains one of the NHL’s elite goaltenders. He enters this game with a 24-14-2 record, 2.51 goals-against average, .913 save percentage, and six shutouts, placing him among the league leaders in multiple categories.

The Islanders also hold defensive advantages over Los Angeles. New York allows about 2.79 goals per game, compared with 2.91 for the Kings, and their penalty kill has been stronger this season.

Los Angeles still has scoring threats like Adrian Kempe, who leads the Kings with 25 goals and 56 points, but the team averages just 2.58 goals per game, which could make it difficult to generate offense against Sorokin and a structured Islanders defense.

With the goaltending advantage and home ice at UBS Arena, New York has the edge in what should be a tight, low-scoring game.

Projection: Islanders 3, Kings 2

NHL Best Bets: Oilers -149 (at Blues), 8:00 p.m. ET

Edmonton sits right at the edge of the betting threshold but still qualifies as a playable favorite at -149.

The Oilers continue to be powered by the league’s most dangerous offensive engine: Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. McDavid leads Edmonton in goals, assists, and points this season and remains one of the most dominant players in the sport.

Edmonton’s offense has been productive overall, averaging about 3.53 goals per game, while the Blues score closer to 2.63 goals per game, a significant gap between the two teams.

St. Louis does have some offensive talent — particularly Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas — but the Blues have struggled to match elite offensive teams this season and often rely heavily on goaltending to stay competitive.

The Oilers’ ability to control possession and generate scoring chances with players like Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Evan Bouchard supporting McDavid and Draisaitl makes them difficult to contain for a full 60 minutes.

If Edmonton’s top line gets rolling early, the Blues may struggle to keep pace offensively.

Projection: Oilers 4, Blues 2