Will the Oilers strike back immediately?

Is it happening again? That’s the question Oilers fans are currently asking themselves after a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in their first playoff round matchup. Edmonton has now lost seven playoff or qualifying games in a row.

They really have to watch out, because that could easily get stuck in their heads and make them tense up. In that respect, the second game on Wednesday is already very important.

This is almost a do-or-die game for the Canadians, which makes it a special affair. We fully expect the Oilers to put a lot more focus on defence than they did in Game 1.

For Edmonton vs. Los Angeles, our forecast is therefore also a low-scoring game in which the 6.5 total points should not be exceeded. Betting on a winner, meanwhile, is very difficult to recommend, as the Oilers are favoured but also have this disastrous record.

Edmonton Oilers – Statistics & Current Form

It’s just like jinxed. As soon as it comes to the playoffs for the Edmonton Oilers, they can’t get their performance together. After last year’s 4-0 sweep against the Jets, they are now facing another bitter disappointment against the Kings.

They came into this postseason with six wins from their last seven games (as did the Kings) and were in excellent form. But it’s also starting to pay off that they didn’t put more emphasis on strengthening the goalie position.

Oilers without a really strong goalie

Although Mike Smith has gotten better in recent weeks, even posting two shutouts, he can confidently be called one of the weakest playoff goalies in the league.He is now 0-9 in his last playoff games.

It’s no coincidence that Smith is only 43rd in the league with a 2.81 goals against average. Even though backup Koskinen is a little worse here, we already expect him to get his chance in Game 2. If he takes it, that’s it for Smith in the Oilers goal.

Defence, defence and only then comes offence

Generally, the Oilers need to get their defense tight in the playoffs. That should be the main focus in Game 2, which is why we don’t expect a high scoring game. If they manage to keep LA under 2.5 goals, then the chances of a win are good.

For Oilers vs. Kings, the odds on sub-par points are thus also our preferred betting option. Based purely on their playoff record, we’d have to bet against the Canadiens as well, but they’ve been too good on the road in recent weeks for that.

Key Players:
G: Mikko Koskinen
D: Darnell Nurse
D: Cody Ceci
LW: Evander Kane
C: Connor McDavid
RW: Kailer Yamamoto

Los Angeles Kings – Statistics & current form

The Kings have found their top form right at the postseason. Already the last games of the regular season were strong and they were able to defeat the Predators and the Flames. Now, in Game 1, the Oilers also had to experience their strong form.

But it is not a special strength that distinguishes the team. The Kings were even slightly behind in shots (35:39) and only razor-thinly ahead in face-offs (51% to 49%). The two teams also hardly took anything away from each other in hits (38 to 40) or giveaways (8 to 9).

LA just has the winning gene

But what sets the Kings apart is a winning mentality they developed at least after their two Stanley Cup victories (2012 and 2014). From that double success only Kopitar and Quick as well as the currently injured Doughty are still on board, but this mentality is also passed on.

It’s not for nothing that there are always teams that win the Stanley Cup several times within a short period of time (Kings, Blackhawks, Penguins, Lightning) and teams that fail again and again. In the playoffs, 90% of success depends on the head.

Do they hold the slight defensive edge?

For the Kings to succeed throughout the series, though, they’ll need to maintain their only real advantage: Defense. Already over the regular season they allowed 0.23 goals less than Edmonton and in Game 1 this stability was also evident.

The 39 shots allowed do not change anything, of which only a few were top-class chances. We see Los Angeles with a good defence in Game 2 as well and would prefer a sub-par bet on the Oilers against the Kings, as both teams are likely to play cautiously for the time being.

Key Players:
G: Jonathan Quick
D: Alexander Edler
D: Matt Roy
LW: Alex Iafallo
C: Anze Kopitar
RW: Adrian Kempe

Edmonton Oilers – Los Angeles Kings Direct comparison / H2H balance

Three of the four duels in the Regular Season went to the Oilers. However, this statistic has little meaning in the playoffs, where the Canadiens fail in series. From the results of the last few years, however, we can read something different.

Often the first meeting in Oilers series has been high-scoring, but then followed by a low-scoring game. Last year’s series against the Jets, for example, saw a 0-1 overtime loss in Game 2, which broke their neck back then.

So for Wednesday, we again expect that it will rather not be a hara-kiri game. That would be far too risky for Edmonton, who would have their backs to the wall in the event of a second defeat. For Edmonton vs. LA, a bet on under 6.5 goals is therefore the bet of our choice.

Edmonton Oilers – Los Angeles Kings Tip

“Win or almost fly” is the name of the game for the Oilers on Wednesday, which is why the game can be considered a kind of elimination game. In games like this, offensive fireworks rarely ever happen, which is why sub-par points for bets are smiling at us.

For Oilers vs. Kings, odds on Under 6.0 total points are a good option, with even Under 5.5 goals still looking bettable. Also, in five of the last six Kings games in the Regular Season, the 6-goal mark has not been surpassed.

As a betting alternative in this matchup, handicap bets on LA come into question. Since the Oilers have such problems in playoff games, betting on the Kings +1.5, for example, is quite an interesting option.