This year’s edition of the first-round series has finally taken a different turn from last year’s. After watching what looked like an exact repeat of Games 1 and 2 from 2022, the script was flipped Friday night in LA when the hosts claimed a 3-2 overtime victory, thus awarding them a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

As per the NHL odds, Edmonton is expected to rebound and level terms as they are pegged as -179 favourites on the moneyline and +143 on the puckline. The total is established at 6.5.

Oilers vs. Kings NHL Playoffs Betting Odds

For those paying attention to series odds, this one has gotten really intriguing. The Oilers are still favoured, but a lot less chalk is written down for them at -116. LA is pinned as +103, which is nearly as good as it gets for an underdog.

In last year’s series, it was at this stage that Los Angeles bested their rivals to tie the series with a 4-0 win. Whether 4-0 or by any other score, the Oilers need a win badly, even if Game 5 is back home in Alberta. No spreads have been covered, with every game being decided by a single goal, two of which required extra time.

There isn’t much that separates these clubs, with the Oilers proving to be a decent defensive unit – as they were down the stretch of the regular season – and the Kings limiting the damage caused by their opponents’ attack. If anything, the big names for Edmonton have gotten on the scoresheet in every game, but hardly anyone else on the roster has made notable contributions.

Edmonton Oilers

The hockey savants argue that in the playoffs, a team’s best players must play as such. That much is true, but it helps if the supporting cast pitches in.

Predictable questions about Connor McDavid were asked as the Oilers headed into Game 3 on Friday. Yes, Leon Draisaitl had two good games at home, but the club’s undisputed superstar was limited to only a point. Sure enough, McDavid answered the call, not once but twice on the powerplay and virtually from the same spot to Joonas Korpisalo’s right. Furthermore, the visitors were trailing 1-0 at that stage, so witnessing their legend in the making earn a brace and hand his side the lead, it felt as though the tide was turning. False. The Oilers never scored again, even coughing up the tying goal less than 20 seconds later. Shots were fired (40) and McDavid finally got going in the series, but as with Game 1, a decent performance (2-for-4 on the powerplay) was all for naught.

Los Angeles Kings

Had this been a Game 7, the night would have been even more magical than it already was for a local hero.

Through three contests thus far, the Kings are executing one of two strategies. Certain squads choose to limit the success of another team’s best players and force everyone else to save the day. Others, in this case LA, can live if a rival’s stars earn their paycheques, so long as nobody else on the team does. McDavid has two goals, Draisaitl three (and six points), and the Oilers have punished the Kings on the man advantage (50 per cent) yet it’s the latter who now leads the series 2-1.

The expediency and manner in which LA tied the game after going down 2-1 suggested it was just one of those nights. 18 seconds later the Kings sent the puck into Edmonton’s zone. It was a hard shot that rebounded strongly off the backboard…right to an incoming Adrian Kempe (third) who blew a shot past Stuart Skinner. In extra time it was Thousand Oaks native Trevor Moore who made good on a mildly controversial play to net the winner.

Game 4 Prediction: Who Will Win Oilers vs. Kings?

OILERS

Away

4

KINGS

Home

3

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Predictions

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