The Edmonton Oilers (1-1) travel stateside to face the Los Angeles Kings (1-1) in Game 3 of their 1st-round Western Conference playoff series Friday. Puck drop from Crypto.com Arena is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET (TBS). Below, we look at the Oilers vs. Kings odds and lines, and make our expert NHL picks, predictions and bets.
The Kings stole a win in Game 1 and must have celebrated a little too long because they got rolled 6-0 in Game 2. In the loss, the Kings made a back-breaking turnover right in front of their net early in the third period, and Oilers LW Evander Kane, who finished with 2 goals, banged it home for a 4-0 lead. The Kings are 0-for-8 on the power play in the series.
The glaring thing about Game 2 was, while the Oilers won 6-0, stud C Connor McDavid (2 assists) and C Leon Draisaitl (1 goal) only lit the lamp once between the two of them. Edmonton is buzzing – especially on the PP as it is 4-for-8 with the man advantage. G Mike Smith had a moment of redemption with a 30-save shutout in Game 2 after yielding 4 goals in the opener.
Oilers at Kings odds and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:23 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Oilers -140 (bet $140 to win $100) | Kings +115 (bet $100 to win $115)
- Against the spread (ATS): Oilers -1.5 (+170) | Kings +1.5 (-230)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -107 | U: -115)
Oilers at Kings projected goalies
Mike Smith (16-9-2, 2.81 GAA, .915 SV%, 2 SO – regular season) vs. Jonathan Quick (23-13-9, 2.59 GAA, .910 SV%, 2 SO – regular season)
Give Smith credit. He made a bad decision in Game 1 that led to the game-winner, and he responded by stopping all 30 shots in Game 2. He has stopped 61 of 65 shots in the series for a .938 SV%. Over the last 10 games (spanning back into the regular season), Smith has allowed 1 goal or fewer in 6 of them.
For as good as Quick was in Game 1, he really took one on the chin in Game 2, allowing 6 goals on 36 shots. He has 66 saves on 75 shots in the series for an .880 SV%. Weird stat of the day: Quick was actually better on the road than at home this year. He was 12-10-4 with a 2.62 GAA at home and 11-3-5 with a 2.56 GAA on the road.
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Oilers at Kings picks and predictions
Prediction
Oilers 4, Kings 2
Money line
We’re picking the Oilers here, and there’s really no concern about the Kings being on home ice. The Oilers have won the last 3 games at the newly named Crypto.com Arena, and they have scored 12 goals in the process.
As mentioned, they really haven’t had a home-ice advantage in net. It’s possible that people bite on the +115 value the Kings provide at home, which would sweeten Edmonton’s price. The public likes the Oilers as 71% of the tickets are on them on the road, according to Pregame.com. So, watch the line this afternoon and pick OILERS (-140).
Against the spread
The puck line is really tempting at OILERS -1.5 (+170). Two of the last 3 times these teams played in L.A., Edmonton won by 2 or more goals.
I’m torn here, but let’s LEAN OILERS -1.5 (+170).
They were 21-15-5 on the road this season, while the Kings were 21-16-4 at home. So, no real advantage there, and Edmonton could be up 2-0 in the series if not for a turnover that happens maybe once a season.
Over/Under
This is a tough one as the Over hit in Game 1, and Under hit in Game 2 despite one team scoring 6 times. The Under is 6-1-1 in the last 8 playoff games the Kings were home underdogs. The Under is also 4-0-1 in the last 5 home games for L.A.
We’re projecting 6 goals here, and there are some trends pointing to the Under. I personally would PASS, but you could “lean” Under 6.5 (-115) if you feel inclined to.
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