It’s the first battle of Alberta in the post-season since 1991, a series Edmonton won in seven games. And this highly-anticipated series is full of superstars on both sides.

Each club needed seven games this past round, with both winning in dramatic fashion. The Oilers advanced first, defeating Los Angeles 2-0 behind a classic Connor McDavid sealing goal. Then Johnny Gaudreau was the hero Sunday in Calgary, burying the Flames’ 67th shot on net for the Game 7 overtime-winner.

Game 1 goes Wednesday in Calgary at the Scotiabank Saddledome, with puck drop at 9:30 p.m. EDT. The Flames are -158 on the moneyline with the over-under at six on the NHL odds.

Oilers vs. Flames NHL Playoffs Betting Odds

The Oilers and Flames met four times during the regular season and each team went 2-2. Their last meeting was a candidate for the NHL’s game of the year — a 9-5 Flames victory back on March 26. Both clubs ranked in the top seven this season in scoring, but playoff hockey can be a different animal.

Case in point is Calgary’s first-round series. During the regular season the Flames averaged 3.55 goals per game but went on to bury 15 goals in seven games versus the Stars. And three games in Edmonton’s first-round series featured shutouts, two going to Oilers goalie Mike Smith.

The under finished 5-2 in Calgary’s first-round series, and 4-3 in Edmonton’s. The Oilers went 2-1 on the road against Los Angeles and Calgary was dominant on home ice going 3-1 last round.

Edmonton Oilers

Connor McDavid was the star of the first-round, leading all post-season skaters with 14 points while averaging nearly 22 minutes of ice time. McDavid currently has the fifth-best odds to win the Conn Smythe Trophy at +1629. Evander Kane had a fantastic series, providing more than secondary scoring with a team-high seven goals to rank second in the NHL.

A big storyline is the health of Leon Draisaitl, who suffered a reported high-ankle sprain in Game 6. Draisaitl suited up in Game 7 but was visibly not himself. Another X-factor is Smith in net. Last series, Smith stopped 244 pucks and posted a .938 save percentage. Anything less against Calgary may not cut it.

Calgary Flames

Calgary’s top line led the way last round versus Dallas, with Gaudreau at the forefront. Along with his series-winning goal, Gaudreau led Calgary with eight points against Dallas. Matthew Tkachuk had six points and scored his first and only post-season goal in Game 7. The Flames averaged 41 shots a game last round with five skaters posting over 20 shots in the series.

Jacob Markstrom was less busy, but still stellar in net versus the Stars. He’s third in the Conn Smythe odds at +1332 thanks to a .943 save percentage and 1.53 goals against average. Markstrom also got his first Vezina Trophy finalist nomination last week after a 37-win season to go with a .922 save percentage.

Game 1 Prediction: Who Will Win Oilers vs. Flames?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Oilers Team Leaders

EDM

Points	Connor McDavid 123
+ / -	Connor McDavid 28
Shots	Connor McDavid 314
Penalty Mins	Zack Kassian 63
Wins	Mikko Koskinen 27
GAA	Stuart Skinner 2.62

CAL

Points	Johnny Gaudreau 115
+ / -	Johnny Gaudreau 64
Shots	Johnny Gaudreau 262
Penalty Mins	Milan Lucic 84
Wins	Jacob Markstrom 37
GAA	Jacob Markstrom 2.22

EDM

Points	Connor McDavid 33
+ / -	Connor McDavid 15
Shots	Zach Hyman 67
Penalty Mins	Evander Kane 37
Wins	Mike Smith 8
GAA	Mike Smith 3.37

CAL

Points	Johnny Gaudreau 14
+ / -	Mikael Backlund 6
Shots	Johnny Gaudreau 52
Penalty Mins	Milan Lucic 31
Wins	Jacob Markstrom 5
GAA	Jacob Markstrom 2.95

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Flames Team Leaders

EDM

Points	Connor McDavid 123
+ / -	Connor McDavid 28
Shots	Connor McDavid 314
Penalty Mins	Zack Kassian 63
Wins	Mikko Koskinen 27
GAA	Stuart Skinner 2.62

CAL

Points	Johnny Gaudreau 115
+ / -	Johnny Gaudreau 64
Shots	Johnny Gaudreau 262
Penalty Mins	Milan Lucic 84
Wins	Jacob Markstrom 37
GAA	Jacob Markstrom 2.22

EDM

Points	Connor McDavid 33
+ / -	Connor McDavid 15
Shots	Zach Hyman 67
Penalty Mins	Evander Kane 37
Wins	Mike Smith 8
GAA	Mike Smith 3.37

CAL

Points	Johnny Gaudreau 14
+ / -	Mikael Backlund 6
Shots	Johnny Gaudreau 52
Penalty Mins	Milan Lucic 31
Wins	Jacob Markstrom 5
GAA	Jacob Markstrom 2.95

Injuries

Edmonton

Jesse Puljujarvi (RW)

Ques Wed Undisclosed - 06 / 06 / 22

Evander Kane (LW)

Elig Wed Suspension - 05 / 06 / 22

Kailer Yamamoto (RW)

Ques Wed Upper Body - 02 / 06 / 22

Evander Kane (LW)

Prob Thurs Personal - 25 / 05 / 22

Tyson Barrie (D)

Prob Fri Illness - 20 / 05 / 22

Kyle Turris (C)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 18 / 05 / 22

Darnell Nurse (D)

Elig Sat Suspension - 11 / 05 / 22

Derek Ryan (C)

Ques Tues Undisclosed - 09 / 05 / 22

Darnell Nurse (D)

Prob Mon Lower Body - 23 / 04 / 22

Jesse Puljujarvi (RW)

Prob Thurs Illness - 22 / 04 / 22

Calgary

Christopher Tanev (D)

Ques Tues Lower Body - 14 / 05 / 22

Nikita Zadorov (D)

Ques Sun Poss. Suspension - 14 / 05 / 22

Brett Ritchie (RW)

Ques Sun Undisclosed - 11 / 05 / 22

Michael Stone (D)

Ques Wed Undisclosed - 11 / 05 / 22

Trevor Lewis (C)

Out indefinitely Personal - 28 / 04 / 22

Jacob Markstrom (G)

Out Sat Rest - 23 / 04 / 22

Noah Hanifin (D)

Ques Thurs Lower Body - 20 / 04 / 22

Christopher Tanev (D)

Ques Sat Head - 14 / 04 / 22

Nikita Zadorov (D)

Ques Sat Undisclosed - 08 / 04 / 22

Erik Gudbranson (D)

Prob Thurs Undisclosed - 08 / 04 / 22

Injuries

Edmonton

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Jesse Puljujarvi (RW)	Ques Wed	Undisclosed - 06 / 06 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Puljujarvi is dealing with and injury to an unlisted location, and it is undetermined if he will face the Avalanche in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.
Evander Kane (LW)	Elig Wed	Suspension - 05 / 06 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Kane is serving a one-game suspension for boarding an opponent, and he is eligible to return against the Avalanche in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.
Kailer Yamamoto (RW)	Ques Wed	Upper Body - 02 / 06 / 22	0-3	1-2	+ -
Yamamoto is nursing an upper-body injury, and it remains to be seen if he will play in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against the Avalanche.
Evander Kane (LW)	Prob Thurs	Personal - 25 / 05 / 22	3-3	3-3	+ -
Kane is tending to a personal matter, but it is likely that he will suit up for Game 5 of the Western Conference second round versus the Flames.
Tyson Barrie (D)	Prob Fri	Illness - 20 / 05 / 22	4-4	5-3	+ -
Barrie is ailing from an illness, but it is expected that he will take on the Flames in Game 2 of the Western Conference second round.
Kyle Turris (C)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 18 / 05 / 22	5-4	5-4	+ -
Turris is on the injured reserve list with an upper-body injury, and it is unclear when he will be activated.
Darnell Nurse (D)	Elig Sat	Suspension - 11 / 05 / 22	6-6	6-6	+ -
Nurse is serving a one-game suspension for headbutting, and he is eligible to return against the Kings in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference first round.
Derek Ryan (C)	Ques Tues	Undisclosed - 09 / 05 / 22	7-6	7-6	+ -
Ryan is managing an unknown injury, and it has yet to be established if he will be available for Game 5 of the Western Conference first round versus the Kings.
Darnell Nurse (D)	Prob Mon	Lower Body - 23 / 04 / 22	11-10	12-9	+ -
Nurse is hampered by a lower-body injury, but it is anticipated that he will suit up for Game 1 of the Western Conference first round against the Kings.
Jesse Puljujarvi (RW)	Prob Thurs	Illness - 22 / 04 / 22	11-10	12-9	+ -
Puljujarvi has sat out the last three games with a non-COVID-19 illness, but it is likely that he will he will suit up against the Sharks on Thursday.

Calgary

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Christopher Tanev (D)	Ques Tues	Lower Body - 14 / 05 / 22	2-5	4-2-1	+ -
Tanev is hampered by a lower-body injury, and it is undetermined if he will face the Oilers in Game 4 of the Western Conference second round.
Nikita Zadorov (D)	Ques Sun	Poss. Suspension - 14 / 05 / 22	2-5	4-2-1	+ -
Zadorov is facing a potential suspension for a high hit, and it is unclear if he will be available for Game 7 of the Western Conference first round versus the Stars.
Brett Ritchie (RW)	Ques Sun	Undisclosed - 11 / 05 / 22	3-5	4-3-1	+ -
Ritchie is managing an unknown issue, and it is unclear if he will participate in Game 7 of the Western Conference first round versus the Stars.
Michael Stone (D)	Ques Wed	Undisclosed - 11 / 05 / 22	3-5	4-3-1	+ -
Stone is bothered by an unspecified ailment, and it remains to be seen if he will face the Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference first round.
Trevor Lewis (C)	Out indefinitely	Personal - 28 / 04 / 22	4-10	6-7-1	+ -
Lewis is away from the team for the birth of his child, and he will miss an undetermined length of time.
Jacob Markstrom (G)	Out Sat	Rest - 23 / 04 / 22	6-10	7-7-2	+ -
Markstrom will not be active against the Canucks on Saturday, as he will be given a day of rest.
Noah Hanifin (D)	Ques Thurs	Lower Body - 20 / 04 / 22	6-11	7-8-2	+ -
Hanifin is tending to a lower-body injury, and it is unknown if he will play against the Stars on Thursday.
Christopher Tanev (D)	Ques Sat	Head - 14 / 04 / 22	9-12	11-8-2	+ -
Tanev was removed from the last contest due to a head injury, and it is unknown if he will face the Coyotes on Saturday.
Nikita Zadorov (D)	Ques Sat	Undisclosed - 08 / 04 / 22	12-12	11-10-3	+ -
Zadorov sat out the last contest with an undefined issue, and it has yet to be established if he will battle Kraken on Saturday.
Erik Gudbranson (D)	Prob Thurs	Undisclosed - 08 / 04 / 22	12-12	11-10-3	+ -
Gudbranson has missed the previous three contests due to an unknown issue, but it is projected that he will suit up for Thursday's game against the Golden Knights.