In their fourth and final head-to-head match up of the regular season, the Edmonton Oilers and the expansion franchise Vegas Golden Knights face off at Rogers Place in a divisional showdown. The opening face-off is at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 5, and it’ll be broadcasted live on Sportsnet ONE.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers Odds
With a -155 moneyline, Vegas comes into the contest as the heavy favorite. The line for Edmonton sits at +135 and the Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -110 money on the over and -110 on the under.
Vegas is 51-29 straight up (SU) and has netted moneyline bettors 18.2 units this season. 40 of its outings have gone over the total, while 38 have gone under and just two have pushed. This 2017-18 Golden Knights team is 22-17 SU on the road.
Vegas has converted on 22.1 percent of its power play chances this season, a figure that places them in the top-10 among NHL teams. Additionally, it has the ninth-best penalty kill in the league, and the team’s successfully killed off 82.1 percent of its penalties.
The Knights, as a collective unit, have been penalized just 3.2 times per game overall this season, and 2.4 per game over its past five outings. The team’s been forced to defend opponent power plays just 6.0 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 28.1 saves per game with a .931 save percentage, Marc-Andre Fleury (29-16-4) has been the primary option in goal for Vegas this year. If it chooses to give him a rest, however, Vegas could turn to Malcolm Subban (15-5-2), who has a .912 save percentage and 2.60 goals against average this year.
William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault will both lead the way for the visiting Golden Knights. Karlsson (78 points) has tallied 43 goals and 35 assists, and has recorded multiple points 18 times. Marchessault has 27 goals and 48 assists to his credit (and has registered at least one point in 46 games).
Over on the other bench, Edmonton is 34-46 straight up (SU) and has lost 18.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 80 regular season contests, 39 of its games have gone under the total, while 37 have gone over and just four have pushed. The team’s 17-22 SU at home this season.
The Oilers have converted on just 14.1 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a mark that’s ranked 32nd in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 26th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 76.2 percent of all penalties.
Oilers players have been whistled for penalties 3.6 times per game in total this season, and 2.6 per game over their last five at home. The team’s been forced to defend opponent power plays just 7.5 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Cam Talbot (27.4 saves per game) has been the primary choice in goal for the Oilers. Talbot has 30 wins, 35 losses, and three overtime losses to his credit and has registered a pedestrian 3.05 goals against average and a poor .907 save percentage this year.
Connor McDavid (41 goals, 62 assists) will pace the attack for the Oilers.
Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers Betting Predictions
Free Pick: SU Winner – Oilers, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes
Two of Vegas’ last ten games have gone to a shootout. The team is 1-1 in those games and 4-3 overall in shootouts this season.
The total has gone under in three of Edmonton’s last five outings.
Two clubs that fire the puck toward the goal a lot, Vegas has taken the league’s 10th-most shots on goal (32.8) and Edmonton has attempted the eighth-most (33.4).
Edmonton has scored just 2.0 goals per game (while allowing 4.0) over its five-game losing skid.
Over Vegas’ last ten games, four of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 3-1 in those games).
The Oilers this season have registered the third-most hits per game (26.3), but the club has averaged 30.4 over their past five home games.
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