Games played at indoor venues don’t have nearly as many environment-based variables (weather, park configuration and so on) to bring to the betting table as outdoor games. The Winter Classic gave ample proof of that, as the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres inched through the snow at Ralph Wilson Stadium. But some of the ice surfaces in the NHL make Buffalo look pristine by comparison.

Warmth comes at a price. The ice in most of the Sun Belt arenas looks like it came out of a Slurpee machine. The Staples Center in Los Angeles deserves extra scorn because the Kings share the venue with not one, but two NBA tenants: the Lakers and Clippers.

Or you could go to Edmonton, where the average daytime temperature in January is 11 degrees Fahrenheit. This is where you’ll find Rexall Place and what is widely considered the best ice surface in the NHL. Maybe the league should expand to Nunavut.

Can these guys win a game in regulation time? Sheesh.

Last week the Edmonton Oilers set an N.H.L. record by participating in four straight shootouts. On the year, Edmonton is 10-2 in shootouts, going 5-1 at home and on the road as well. Without the shootout, the team’s record through Friday would be 6 victories, 18 losses and 12 ties.

Alex Hemsky and Sam Gagner have both made appearances in 11 of the 12 shootouts, with Hemsky being the better of the two going 5-for-11. But the Oilers would not be enjoying any overtime success without the help of Shawn Horcoff, who is 4-for5 in the shootout with two deciding goals.

The odds on the Oilers winning the Stanley Cup are 100/1 in most online sportsbooks.