Vegas Golden Knights vs Edmonton Oilers Predictions, Odds, Picks

• The Vegas Golden Knights are 3-1-1 over their last five games.
• The Edmonton Oilers are 1-1-1 over their last three games.
• The Golden Knights are 1-2-0 against the Oilers this season.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Edmonton Oilers Odds

Odds taken from DraftKings Sportsbook.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Edmonton Oilers Predictions and Picks

The Vegas Golden Knights will battle with the Edmonton Oilers in a divisional game. These teams have faced each other three times this season, and the Golden Knights won their last matchup 4-0.

The Golden Knights have 87 points and could move into a wild card spot with a victory, so they need to come out on top. Their opponents, the Oilers, are sitting comfortably in 2nd in the Pacific Division and will not lose their spot with a loss.

The Vegas Golden Knights have gone on some winning streaks but have been mediocre for the last month. They need to win more consistently to get good playoff seeding.

The Golden Knights do not have any stars but are led by some solid players in centers Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo. Marchessault can score and pass and has 63 points, Stephenson is an efficient passer with 40 assists, and Pietrangelo anchors the defense and plays almost 25 minutes a game.

It will be hard for the Golden Knights to make a late-season run since they struggle in net. Vegas does not have any great netminders and will have Laurent Brossoit in net this game. Brossoit often struggles and has a save percentage under .900.

The Edmonton Oilers have stepped up since the NHL postponement. They have moved into the second spot in the Central and have a few very talented scorers in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

Connor McDavid has been one of the league’s best playmakers for many seasons. He continues to be this season and has 42 goals and 68 assists. Leon Draisaitl is a premier goal scorer in this league. He has 54 goals, the second-most in the NHL. These two players are a significant reason for Vegas’ success. They score the puck often and are crucial to the Golden Knights.

The Oilers, like the Golden Knights, struggle in net. Their starting goaltender, Mikko Koskinen, allows almost 3.1 goals per game and has a save percentage of .902.

The Oilers are playing at home and have had the better team lately, so I expect them to win this close game.

Pick:

Edmonton Oilers beat Vegas Golden Knights 5-4. Vegas Golden Knights cover, Under 6.5 goals.

Why Might the Vegas Golden Knights Win?

The Vegas Golden Knights are the underdog, but they can win if they take a lot of shots and slow down Leon Draisaitl.

The Golden Knights are facing an Oilers squad that lacks solid goaltending. Both Oilers’ goaltenders often struggle, so the Golden Knights will have many opportunities. The Golden Knights need to overwhelm the Oilers’ goaltenders with shots. If they do, they will have many scoring opportunities.

The Golden Knights may have many chances to score in this game, but they will also have to slow down Leon Draisaitl. Draisaitl has 54 goals and 51 assists. He is electric with the puck and should be stopped at all costs when he has the puck in his hands. Draisaitl does not miss many opportunities and scores on over 20% of his shots.

Why Might the Edmonton Oilers Win?

The Edmonton Oilers are the favorites but will only win if they draw penalties and limit the Golden Knights’ shots.

The Oilers have a dominant power-play unit and convert on 26% of their power-plays, the third-best in the league. The Oilers have to draw penalties and get a man advantage. This game may be high-scoring, and the Oilers need to score as many as they can.

The Golden Knights score 3.2 goals per game and average 34 shots. They have a high-powered offense and need to be slowed down. They can be slowed down if they do not take many shots. The Oilers need defensemen need to limit their shots and make it hard for them to score.

Golden Knights Key Player: (C) Chandler Stephenson

Center Chandler Stephenson has become a leader on this Golden Knights team. He does not score much, but he does create plays for his teammates.

Stephenson only has 17 goals, but he does have 40 assists. He makes the right pass and finds the right teammates on the ice. He needs to continue looking for the right teammates in this game.

Defensively, the Oilers should not worry about Stephenson scoring (he has only taken 110 shots this season). However, they do have to cut off his passing lanes and force him to turn over the puck.

Oilers Key Player: (C) Connor McDavid

This was not a difficult choice. Center Connor McDavid is a talented player and brings a lot of skills to the table.

McDavid can pass and score, so he needs to decide what is best. He should pass when that is the best option, but he should also shoot when that is the best option. This should not be too difficult for him; he is one of the best players in the league for a reason.

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