On Thursday, December 7 at 8:30 PM ET, the Anaheim Ducks (10-15-0) will head to Illinois and take on the Chicago Blackhawks (7-16-1) for a compelling NHL betting opportunity. The Ducks are slight moneyline favorites at -120. 

The Ducks have lost four out of their last five games as they look for consistency on the road. They are coming off a 3-2 defeat against the Colorado Avalanche, which put them back on the losing side after beating the Avalanche 4-3 in a shootout in the previous game.

Frank Vatrano leads the Ducks in points (23) and goals (14). Ryan Strome is also a key component to their success, leading in assists with 14 total.

The Ducks offense is a bit slow at times, as they average 2.73 goals on 29.6 shot attempts. They have scored 18 goals during power plays and have a power play percentage at 22.2, which is double what the Blackhawks have.

They allow 3.48 goals and 31.8 shots from their opponents, which is one reason why they keep losing. In power plays, they have given up 22 goals. But, they have an appealing penalty kill percentage at 80.0.

The Blackhawks have lost their last four games heading into this matchup, with their most recent performance being a 4-3 shootout to the Nashville Predators. This also marked their fourth consecutive game giving up three or more goals.

Connor Bedard leads the team with 11 goals and 20 points. Seth Jones is just one assist ahead of Bedard at 10 to lead in assists. Both will need strong offensive performances to help win.

The Blackhawks are worse on both sides of the puck compared to the Ducks. Offensively, they average 2.46 goals on 27.5 shots a game. They have produced eight goals in power play situations, which does not bode well for their chances here.

Defensively, they are allowing 3.67 goals and 32.7 shots from opposing teams. They have also allowed 20 power play goals and have a lower penalty kill percentage at 74.4.

MyBookie has the latest NHL odds for this matchup, showing that the Ducks are slightly favored to win. Both teams have had issues, but the Ducks are better on paper here.

The Blackhawks score less than the Ducks and allow more goals from opposing teams. This recipe has earned them a wrinkle record, as they consistently play poorly. Look for the Ducks to find success against another bad team.