After falling short in Game 1, the Edmonton Oilers felt the pressure.
Known for their playoff shortcomings, the Oilers struggled to get their best-of-7 streak back on track with the Los Angeles Kings before heading to California for Game 3. Unlike years past, Edmonton did what it had to do in Game 2 with a 6-0 win to level the series.
Now Edmonton finds itself a favorite on the -145 road in Game 3 in Los Angeles, which means the oddsmakers believe the Oilers have about a 59% chance of picking up the win Friday night.
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That leaves bettors with the following question: are you willing to bet that Game 1 was just a blip and those Oilers turned a corner? Or is this team still not to be trusted in a place like this?
The numbers suggest the former is true. While Edmonton’s 4-3 loss at the start of the series sent shivers down the spine and reminded people that Mike Smith is an adventure in goal, it was also a tie deep into the third half, brought on by a keeper slip was decided . It’s hardly worth looking back so deeply into such things when you’re looking ahead.
It’s worth taking a look at Edmonton’s overall form, a team that already had tremendous capability thanks to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. After an inconsistent first half of the season, Edmonton fired Dave Tippett and replaced him with Jay Woodcroft. The move paid off, as the Oilers played at a 119-point pace in Woodcroft’s 38 games in charge (the Avalanche finished the season with 119 points, which is worth it).
If the Oilers play like they did for most of the second half of the season, they’ll be tough to beat in any matchup, especially one against a Kings team that doesn’t have the offense to stay with the Oilers.
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The only way this series could go off the rails for Edmonton is if Smith stumbles in goal. We’ve already seen Smith at his best and worst in the first two games of the set, but again, it’s worth noting that Smith’s long-term form shows he’s in control of his game. Smith recorded a .919 save ratio and a better-than-expected +10.93 goal saving (GSAx) from Feb. 1 through the end of the season — a 22-game span.
Until they defeat their playoff demons, the Oilers will be a polarizing team. But if you put that aside and just look at the 30,000-foot view, all indications are that the Oilers are quite simply a much better team than the Kings.
The bet: Edmonton Oilers -150 or better
https://nypost.com/2022/05/06/nhl-playoffs-2022-predictions-odds-picks-kings-vs-oilers/ NHL Playoffs 2022 Predictions, Odds, Tips: Kings vs. Oilers