- What: Los Angeles Kings vs Edmonton Oilers - First Round Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 1
- Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta
- When: Tuesday, April 17th at 10 PM ET
It's a rematch of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers go toe to toe for the second season in a row in the first round. Game 1 is scheduled for Monday evening at Rogers Place, with puck drop scheduled for 10 PM ET. The season series was split with two wins apiece. This is expected to be a very competitive series. Keep reading for the Kings vs Oilers Game 1 picks.
Before we get into the odds and picks for Thursday's encounter, make sure to check out our online sportsbook reviews, and the top NHL betting sites.
Kings vs Oilers Game 1 Odds
The Oilers are a clear favorite for the series opener at home with moneyline odds of -190. The Kings come back at +171. This exact same matchup went the full seven games in the playoffs a year ago and was highly entertaining. The same can be expected in the coming weeks.
Game 1 Preview
The Kings had another solid campaign, going 47-25-10, which put them third in the Pacific Division and fifth in the Western Conference overall, just five points behind the Oilers. Los Angeles is a very well-rounded team, ranking 10th in goals scored with 3.34 and 16th in goals allowed at 3.1. Leading the way offensively is Adrian Kempe, who scored 41 times and tallied 26 assists in 2022-23.
In fact, the Kings have five different players who registered over 20 goals apiece. The points leader is Anze Kopitar, the veteran who scored 28 and supplied another 46, playing 82 games. Kopitar is probably LA's best player and will surely be important in the series. As for current form, the Kings come into Game 1 with a 5-5-0 record in their last 10 outings, beating the Ducks 5-3 in the season finale on Thursday.
With Connor McDavid playing at such a high level, the Oilers have legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations. And to be honest, they're realistic. Edmonton's supporting cast did a tremendous job of also producing around their superstar all season long, especially Leon Draisatl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. As for McDavid, he finished the campaign with 64 goals and 89 assists, breaking all sorts of records in the process.
Defending and goaltending still remain a bit of an issue for Jay Woodcroft's team, but they've been a lot better as of late. The Oilers roll into the series opener on a nine-game winning streak. During that span, Edmonton also beat the Kings twice, outscoring them 5-1 in the process.
We're looking at the best offense in the league as well, ranking first in goals (3.96), power play percentage, and shooting percentage. With so many weapons throughout the roster, Edmonton is surely thinking Cup or Bust. It's about time. You better believe this group is going to be fired up to begin the first round on home ice as well, a place where the Oilers had a 23-16-2 record.
Kings vs Oilers Game 1 Picks
That atmosphere at Rogers Place is absolutely electric and the Oilers have won back-to-back meetings with the Kings. I expect them to start off the series with a bang and grab a convincing victory.
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