- What: Los Angeles Kings vs Edmonton Oilers
- When: Monday, April 22nd, 10 PM ET
- Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton
Two familiar foes will once again battle it out in the Stanley Cup Playoffs starting Monday as the Los Angeles Kings visit their Pacific Division rivals, the Edmonton Oilers. Game 1 is scheduled for 10 PM ET at Rogers Place in Oil Country. LA finished as the No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division to book their spot in the postseason, while Edmonton was second behind the Vancouver Canucks. This will be the third straight season the Kings and Oilers meet in the playoffs, with Connor McDavid and Co. winning the last two. This should be a very entertaining first-round matchup. Continue reading for the Kings vs Oilers Game 1 picks.
Before we get into the odds, preview, and prediction, make sure to check out our NHL Playoffs Page and our Stanley Cup Odds.
Kings vs Oilers Game 1 Odds
| Team |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| LA Kings | +145 | +147 | +145 |
| Edmonton Oilers | -163 | -172 | -170 |
The Oilers are a clear -163 favorite for the series opener, giving them an implied win probability of 61.98%. The Kings return at +145 and have a 40.82% chance of taking this one. Edmonton won three of four regular-season meetings with Los Angeles in 2023-24.
Third Time is a Charm?
Los Angeles has it tough for the first round and although they know Edmonton extremely well, it will be an absolute war in this series. But, could the third time be a charm? The Kings lost in seven games in 2022 and then six games in 2023, putting up a respectable fight in both years. They've definitely shown the ability to keep up with the Oilers.
Jim Hiller's squad finished the regular season with a 44-27-11 record, just one point off 100. The biggest strength for LA is their blue line, who allowed the third-fewest goals per game in the entire league. They will be even more important in this series against such an offensive powerhouse like Edmonton with both McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, among many others. On the opposite end of the ice, the Kings ranked 16th with 3.1 goals per night. Adrian Kempe was the leading man with 75 points, including 28 goals and 47 assists. Kevin Fiala and Anze Kopitar both finished as part of the 70-point club as well.
There isn't a ton of offensive firepower for the Kings, but this is a team with experience. They ended the campaign with a 6-4-0 record in their final 10 games and will be looking to flip the script when it comes to facing Edmonton, who outscored them 8-3 across the last two matchups. LA has failed to get past the first round since winning it all in 2014. The organization is due to make a deeper run again.
Can Oilers Win a Cup?
Ever since McDavid arrived in town, everyone has been waiting for the Oilers to finally win it all. The franchise has surrounded him with tons of talent, but they've failed to reach the Promised Land. The 2023-24 campaign started off horribly for Edmonton before winning 16 in a row, which quickly put them on the right path. The Oilers never looked back. Edmonton ultimately had a 49-27-6 record for 104 points. McDavid didn't play for the last few contests of the season however due to a lower-body injury, but it's nothing serious and he'll be ready to go for Game 1.
While the superstar had a down year in terms of scoring with only 32 goals, he still tallied 100 helpers and finished top-five in the NHL in points. Draisaitl also had a monster season, scoring 41 times and assisting another 65. Evan Bouchard, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are all consistent contributors on a nightly basis, too. Edmonton was fourth in scoring this season and top-five in numerous other categories, including shots on goal, power play percentage, and faceoff percentage.
Defensively, they improved a lot as well, only conceding 2.88 goals per game. Keeping the puck out of their own net has been a problem for years but the Oilers seemed to figure it out. Perhaps that'll be the key to a Stanley Cup run this time around. Edmonton enters Game 1 on a two-game losing skid, but it's important to note the main guys weren't playing at the end. It's a whole new slate in the playoffs, anyway.
Kings vs Oilers Game 1 Picks
Rogers Place will be absolutely electric for Game 1 and the Oilers are 28-9-4 on home ice. Although I do think this series could go longer than expected, Edmonton will take the opener in convincing fashion.
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