The Edmonton Oilers look to clinch their first-round Western Conference playoff series at home Thursday night, riding a three-game winning streak after falling behind 2-0 early in the series.
Los Angeles Kings find themselves in must-win territory, needing to snap their three-game slide to force a decisive Game 7 in a matchup where special teams could prove decisive.
With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl both collecting 10 points through five games for Edmonton, the Oilers' powerplay has been lethal, converting 57 percent of their chances in their last three victories.
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings matchup, our predictive model gives the Oilers a 70.33% chance of defeating the Kings.
Pre-game probabilities
Edmonton Oilers
Moneyline
Win %
70.33%
29.67%
Los Angeles Kings
Edmonton Oilers: 70.33% win probability
- Explosive scoring capability (277 goals scored, tied for 3rd most in Western Conference)
- Recent momentum (WLWWW record in last five games)
- Home ice advantage as the higher seed (6th in Western Conference)
Los Angeles Kings: 29.67% win probability
- Recent inconsistency on the road (Recent form LWWWW shows potential vulnerability away)
- Goal scoring efficiency (250 goals, 27 fewer than Edmonton despite higher standings)
- Defensive vulnerability when facing high-powered offenses (206 goals against, but likely to be tested by Edmonton's potent attack)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts.
Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts.
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Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings preview
The high-flying Oilers look to close out their first-round playoff series at home Thursday night, riding a surge of momentum after flipping an early 2-0 deficit into a commanding 3-2 series lead against the Kings.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been offensive catalysts for Edmonton, each tallying 10 points in the series, while Calvin Pickard has been a pleasant surprise between the pipes with a perfect 3-0 record since taking over.
Los Angeles needs a spark from veterans Kopitar and Kempe to snap their three-game skid, as their once-potent offense has cooled to just eight goals over their last three contests.
Special teams could prove decisive at Rogers Place, with Edmonton converting an impressive 57% of their power play chances across their three consecutive victories.
The Kings' penalty kill has been particularly vulnerable, operating at just 43% efficiency during their losing streak – a troubling stat against an Oilers power play unit that's finding its rhythm at the perfect time.
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