Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA – Photo by Icon sport
Los Angeles Kings vs Edmonton Oilers Game 5: Western Conference Playoffs – First Round
The Edmonton Oilers will have a chance to advance to the second playoff round when they host the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Place on Wednesday.
The Kings are struggling offensively
The Los Angeles Kings had many ups and downs during the regular season, and the same can be said about the series against the Oilers. They managed to steal Game 2 on the road but then scored only one goal in the next two games at home in Los Angeles. The Kings had 33 shots, 20 more than the Oilers, in Game 4, but failed to score a single goal in the 1-0 loss.
How good are the Oilers?
The Edmonton Oilers had an excellent start to the series, going on a shooting spree in the 7-4 Game 1 win. However, they lost 5-4 in the next one but had no reason to panic. The Oilers went to Los Angeles aware of their strengths and won both of the games to take a 3-1 series lead. Edmonton converted on their lone power-play situation as Evan Bouchard scored his first goal of the series midway through the second period. Stuart Skinner became the eighth goalie in Oilers history to record a postseason shutout.
Betting Trends
The Oilers have won 5 of the last 6 games against the Kings and 5 of the last 6 games against them played in Edmonton. The Oilers are 12-4 SU in the last 16 home games. The Kings are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games overall and 2-5 SU in their last 7 road games.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Edmonton Oilers are one of the main contenders to win the Stanley Cup this season, regardless of finishing fifth in the Western Conference. With Connor McDavid and Leon Drainsaitl, their offensive potential is limitless, and by allowing only one goal in the last two games, the Oilers look scary. The Kings were the third-best defensive team in the league last season, but allowing a total of 18 goals in the first four games of the series does not show that. The Oilers are on top of their game at the moment and will advance to the next round with a blowout win against the Kings.
