- The Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers faceoff in Round 2 of the 2023 NHL Playoffs
- The Oilers have opened as the betting favorite despite Vegas being the higher seed
- Read below for Golden Knights vs Oilers series odds, schedule and prediction
Superstars Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel will clash when the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights square off in Round 2 of the 2023 NHL Playoffs. The start date for this anticipated Western Conference Semifinal is yet to be announced.
The Golden Knights handled the Winnipeg Jets in five games during Round 1, while the OIilers needed six games to get past the LA Kings. Recent EDM vs LVK head-to-head history suggests one team might have a clear edge in this series.
Let’s dive into the Oilers vs Golden Knights odds for Round 2 and offer you our prediction.
Golden Knights vs Oilers Series Odds
| Team | Moneyline |
|---|---|
| Edmonton Oilers | -150 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +130 |
Edmonton is priced at -150 on the moneyline in the Round 2 NHL Playoff odds, meaning they have a 60% implied probability to advance to Round 3.
The Golden Knights have home-ice advantage over the Oilers, meaning Game 1 will be played at T-Mobile Arena in Sin City.
Odds as of April 30th at DraftKings Sportsbook. Use the DraftKings promo code to bet on Round 2 of the NHL Playoffs.
Knights Overpower Injury-Riddled Jets
The Vegas Golden Knights were the first team to advance to the second round after dismantling the Winnipeg Jets in five games during Round 1. Winnipeg won the opening game of the series, but the Knights capitalized on some key injuries to dominate the rest of the way.
The Jets lost Norris Trophy contender Josh Morrisey to a season-ending injury in Game 3 before star forward Mark Schefiele went down in Game 4. The team was also without speedy winger Nikolaj Ehlers for the first four games. This isn’t to say the Golden Knights weren’t the better team (they were), but knowing the full context is important.
Chandler Stephenson had a breakout playoff performance for Vegas in Round 1, notching four goals and four assists, while captain Mark Stone contributed three tallies and five helpers. VGK got rock-solid goaltending from Laurent Brossoit, who went 4-1-0 with a 2.42 GAA and .915 save percentage.
Vegas averaged 3.80 goals per game in Round 1, but if there’s a concern, it’s on the other side of the puck. The Golden Knights’ penalty is operating at a miserable 58.3% efficiency this postseason and now has to face an Oilers power play producing at a historic rate.
Oilers Dethrone Kings For Second Straight Year
The Oilers set up their Round 2 date with the Golden Knights by defeating the Los Angeles Kings in Round 1 for the second straight year. After requiring seven games to defeat Los Angeles in 2021, the Oilers took care of business in six games this time around.
Oilers vs Kings was one of the closest first-round series’, as half of the games were decided in overtime and another one was decided by one goal. While Connor McDavid is the Hart Trophy favorite, it was Leon Draisaitl who went beast mode, notching seven goals in the series.
#SportsnetStat📊 Leon Draisaitl has been on the ice for all 14 #Oilers goals & has five goals & four assists in the first four games of the series vs. the Kings. @Sportsnet | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/4dwR2n8KJj
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 24, 2023
The aforementioned Oilers’ power play unit is a key storyline from the club’s first-round series vs LAK. The Oilers scored nine goals on 16 man-advantage opportunities in Round 1, which is good for a ridiculous 56.3% success rate. This only builds on their NHL-leading power play (32%) from the regular season.
In the goaltending crease, the Oilers will be turning to rookie Jeff Skinner, who has established himself as a legit no. 1 in the early days of his career. Skinner started all five games in Round 1 vs LAK, posting a 3-2-0 record with a .890 save percentage and 3.43 GAA. He was pulled in Game 4, but he responded well to secure the series victory.
Golden Knights vs Oilers Prediction
When it comes to our Golden Knights vs Oilers series prediction, it’s impossible to ignore the success Edmonton had against Vegas during the regular season. The Oilers went 3-0-1 against Vegas in 2022-23, although three of the games were decided by one goal.
Oilers – Golden Knights Recent History
| Date | Home-Away | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03/28/2023 | VGK 4 – EDM 7 | EDM | EDM | Over |
| 03/25/2023 | EDM 3 – VGK 4 (OT) | VGK | VGK | Over |
| 01/14/2023 | VGK 3 – EDM 4 | EDM | EDM | Over |
| 11/19/2022 | EDM 4 – VGK 3 (OT) | EDM | EDM | Over |
| 04/16/2022 | EDM 4 – VGK 0 | EDM | EDM | Under |
Due to the Knights’ goaltending carousel this season, Brossoit only played one game vs EDM, which was a 4-3 OT win on March 25th in which he made 27 saves. Skinner did appear in three games against VGK this season, but he didn’t play great, posting a 2-0-1 record with a .878 save percentage and 3.59 GAA.
Vegas is intriguing in this series as the underdog considering the home team typically gets the edge in the NHL series prices. You also have to expect the Golden Knights’ penalty kill to ascend to the more average clip it was operating at during the regular season (77.4%).
The bottom line, however, is the Golden Knights don’t possess an offensive tandem as lethal as McDavid and Draiaitl. Yes, Jack Eichel has three playoff goals and is capable of big things in this series, but this is his first postseason rodeo, while McDavid and Draisaitl have been here before and are focused on the big prize.
Take out special teams, and the Oilers are still the better team on paper. They posted a superior expected goals percentage (53.4%) and Corsi (52.3%) at even strength during the regular season, plus hold the head-to-head advantage. We’re banking on this improved Oilers squad making another long run this postseason.
Pick: Oilers Series Moneyline (-150)
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