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The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings will meet in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fourth season in a row.
The Oilers have eliminated the Kings three seasons in a row, but this best-of-seven has a different feel compared to previous years.
Edmonton comes into the series with more questions than answers after an uneven campaign that exposed some serious cracks.
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Oilers vs. Kings NHL playoffs first-round series odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kings | +120 |
| Oilers | -140 |
Oilers vs. Kings betting preview
Los Angeles has been as consistent as any team in the league over the 82-game marathon, but there are skeptics who don’t believe the Kings have a high enough ceiling to compete with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
The odds suggest the Kings have a terrific chance to give the Oilers a run for their money.
Edmonton is a -140 favorite to take the best-of-seven series.
The Oilers started the season as the Stanley Cup favorite, but they came out of the gates slowly and questions began to arise about the composition of the team.
Edmonton tried to make some moves in the summer to shore up its depth but, in doing so, was forced to watch key middle-lineup players Warren Foegele, Dylan Holloway, Ryan McLeod, and Philip Broberg depart.
The replacements for that cohort struggled to make an impact, which put more pressure on McDavid and Draisaitl.
Edmonton’s goaltending issues, which seem to be a never-ending saga, also reared their ugly head.
Stuart Skinner posted a .892 save percentage and -2.8 Goals Saved Above Expected in 50 games, while Calvin Pickard played to a .902 save percentage and -7.8 GSAx in 35 outings.
The Kings, meanwhile, got terrific goaltending from Darcy Kuemper all season long.
The former Stanley Cup champion owns a .920 save percentage and a +21 GSAx in 49 games with the Kings.
Part of Kuemper’s success has been the play of the defense in front of him. Los Angeles led the league in expected goals against at 5-on-5 this season, and only the Jets conceded fewer goals at even strength than Los Angeles did.
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Oilers vs. Kings pick
There is certainly a chance that McDavid and Draisaitl just run the show and the Oilers get through this series, but that feels like Edmonton’s only path to success.
The Kings, meanwhile, are the underdog and have more ways to win. They’ve got the better goaltender, an elite defense and a deep lineup that gets contributions from every spot.
If you cover up the names and just look at the numbers, you’d say the Kings should be the favorite in this series.
The play: Los Angeles Kings (+120, bet365)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
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