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Edgar Chaput
Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers Game 1 Prediction, NHL Odds
Edmonton’s home-ice advantage and slightly superior record have them favoured in the series. As outright winners they sit at -238 to LA’s +206. The series outcome with the highest odds is Oilers 4-1 (+410), followed by Oilers 4-3 and 4-2 (+437)
As for Game 1, Jay Woodcroft’s Edmontonian squad sits at -209 on the NHL odds, with the total tabulated at 6.5.
Kings vs. Oilers NHL Playoffs Betting Odds
The Kings and Oilers were neck and neck in the fight for the Pacific Division crown until the final week of the regular season. As it turns out, neither of them emerged victorious, with Vegas finishing on top. The regular season series between the sides was revealing in some respects. First, it ended 2-2, so each team can hang with the other. Second, both teams won at least once in their rival’s building. Third, the under connected in three of them.
There is also the matter of last year’s first-round playoff tilt. The Oilers headed into LA for Game 6 down 3-2 in the series, staring elimination in the face, but they prevailed in hostile territory before knocking the Kings off their thrown in Game 7.
Although Los Angeles finished the regular season with a couple of victories, both came against clubs whose Stanley Cup dreams expired long ago. Prior to that, they fell in three straight to their first-round opponent, Colorado, and Vegas, all playoff teams. Not the best way to finish a season.
As for the Oilers, there is much hoopla about the final stretch of their campaign, having won nine straight and 14 of 15. There was a long period during the campaign’s first half when questions were asked about how good Edmonton really was. They answered those queries, resoundingly so.
Los Angeles Kings
For the first time in a while, the Kings head into postseason action without one of the stalwarts of their glory years, Jonathan Quick, now a Golden Knight. In net are Pheonix Copley and Joonas Korpisalo, who they acquired from Columbus at the trade deadline. One would think the latter will get the nod.
LA is a curious team. They ranked 10th in the NHL in offence with a very respectable 3.34 goals scored per game. On the flip side, no one on the roster came close to netting 100 points. Anze Kopitar led the way with 74 (28 goals and 46 assists), followed closely by Kevin Fiala’s 72 (23 goals and 49 assists), but for the most part, this is a squad that produces offence by committee. Edmonton will want to avoid sending men to the penalty box, as the Kings sport the fourth-best powerplay in the league (25.3 per cent). The same can be said about LA itself, however. The Oilers are number one in that regard and LA is only 24th when killing penalties.
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers failed to make the ultimate push for the division crown, which would have in effect granted them the top seed in the conference. Even so, the unit can head into the postseason proud of its accomplishments.
Their goal differential of +65 is tied for third in the NHL, they solved their bizarre home woes months ago (23-12-6 when playing in front of their fans), and they have three players in the top 10 for points amassed. Moreover, they dominate the top two, with Leon Draisaitl (128 off of 52 goals and 76 assists) and Connor McDavid (153 off of 64 goals and 89 assists) far and away the best attacking players in the league. Consider that Zach Hyman tallied the fourth most points on the club with 84 and that’s still 10 more than LA’s top point-getter. Lest their goalies be forgotten in all the hoopla about offence, but Stuart Skinner played extremely well down the stretch. One should never overlook an opponent, but the Oilers do seem like the better outfit in this series.
LA
EDM