Via NHL.com
The Oilers head to So Cal to face the Kings in what is appearing to be a potential first round playoff matchup. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:38 p.m. EST.
Edmonton enters tonight’s game with a 45-23-9 record (99 points) in 77 games and sits third in the Pacific Division. The Oilers are one point behind the Kings for second in the Pacific and four points behind Vegas for first place. Edmonton is led by Connor McDavid’s ridiculous 62 goals and 146 points. Leon Draisaitl has also had a fantastic season notching 50 goals and 120 points. Ryan Nugent Hopkins (35-62-97) and Zach Hyman (34-46-80) have been the primary beneficiaries of the two-headed scoring machine. Stuart Skinner has held the number one goaltender role this season as he carries a 25-14-5 record, 2.88 goals against average and .911 save percentage into tonight.
Los Angeles continues to play well with a 45-22-10 record (100 points) in 77 games and sits second in the Pacific. The Kings are one point ahead of Edmonton and three points behind Vegas. LA is led in points by Kevin Fiala with 72 and Anze Kopitar with 68. Adrian Kempe (59 points), Viktor Arvidsson (54) and Phillip Danault (53) round out the balanced top five. Kempe leads the team in goals with 36 and is 10 ahead of Kopitar. Arvidsson (24 goals), Fiala (23) and Gabriel Vilardi (23) have all eclipsed the 20 goal plateau. Joonas Korpisalo has been the goaltender of choice recently. The 28-year-old is 16-13-4 with a 2.84 GAA and a .917 SV% in 36 games.
After taking last season’s playoff series in seven games, Edmonton has lost two of three contests with Los Angeles this season. Tonight’s projected starting goaltenders are Skinner for the Oilers and Korpisalo for the Kings.
Prediction: Edmonton Oilers 5, Los Angeles Kings 3
This appears to be a first-round rematch in the making but this game could decide who has home-ice advantage. I expect the big boys for Edmonton to come out hot and put the Oilers up early. The Kings will not go away and tie the game late in the second or early in the third period. Edmonton grabs the winner late and adds an empty netter to finish the game.
Odds Presented By Betfred Sportsbook
Spread – Los Angeles Kings +1.5 (-215) / Edmonton Oilers -1.5 (+100)
Moneyline – Los Angeles Kings +120 / Edmonton Oilers -140
Total – 6.5 – Over (-120) / Under (-100)
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