NHL Betting Preview (March 28): Kings vs. Oilers Odds

Photo credit:© Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

30 days ago

Edmonton ended their disappointing road trip on a high note with a win over the Winnipeg Jets. Now the Oilers return home to host the Los Angeles Kings, the team they will likely face in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This article breaks down the odds and trends that makes this potential playoff preview so interesting.

Kings vs. Oilers Odds

Los Angeles Kings Moneyline Odds: +125
Edmonton Oilers Moneyline Odds: -150
Puck Line Odds: Kings +1.5 (-200), Oilers -1.5 (+155)
Game Total: 6.5 goals (over +105, under -125)

All odds courtesy of Betway.

If you don’t yet have a Betway account, sign up now to bet on the Oilers vs. Kings game today!

Last Matchup

The Oilers last played the Kings back on February 26th in Edmonton. Los Angeles had shut out Edmonton in the previous game, but the Oilers got their revenge, defeating the Kings 4-2. It wasn’t easy, though, as the Oilers had to win from behind after trailing 1-0 for most of the first period and 2-1 for most of the second. Edmonton didn’t lead until early in the third period when Evan Bouchard scored the go-ahead goal. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored late in the period to put an end to any potential comeback. Edmonton was outshot 40-31 in the game.

Check out Daily Faceoff to get updates regarding the line combinations and goaltenders for Thursday’s matchup.

Handicapping the Kings (38-33 SU, 33-38 ATS, 26-42 O/U)

Los Angeles kicked off its four-game road trip with a win in Vancouver on Monday and now take a four-game win streak into Edmonton after picking up wins against the Lightning, Wild, and Blackhawks at home.

The Kings won their first 11 road games to start the season, but they followed up that strong start by going 3-10 in their next 13 road games between Dec. 28th and Jan. 28th. They’ve been a profitable moneyline bet away from home, particularly when they’re a big road underdog. However, their recent form should cause bettors to steer clear of the Kings at +125.

Per Evolving Hockey, Los Angeles ranks 18th in expected goals percentage and 24th in shot attempt percentage over the last month, and that matters a lot more than how many wins and losses they’ve accumulated over the last couple of months. There’s a feeling that this team could hit a switch, and play more like a contender, but it’s getting harder to see that happening and the odds aren’t appealing.

Handicapping the Oilers (43-27 SU, 32-38 ATS, 31-36 O/U)

Edmonton played well in Winnipeg on Tuesday, but the Oilers can’t feel good about their poor results in Toronto and Ottawa. They should have no problem getting up for this game, though, as the Kings are a team they love to beat. However, rest is a weapon in the NHL, and the Kings have had an extra day off.

Home teams have won approximately 53 percent of the games this season when they have the same amount of rest as the road team, but the home team has only won 48 percent of the games in which the away team was more rested. That’s not to say that Edmonton will lose the game. Obviously, the Oilers have a much more home-ice advantage than an average NHL team, but the Oilers would likely be a bigger favourite if not for the fact that they’re at a slight disadvantage because of the schedule.

Not to mention, Edmonton has only averaged 2.6 goals per game in their last 10 versus Los Angeles, and the Kings rank fourth in goals against per 60 minutes over the last month. Fans should expect an Oilers win, about 60 percent of the time based on the odds, but the odds suggest there’s an even greater chance of this one being a close game, decided by one goal.

PRESENTED BY BETWAY

Team Betting Trends

Los Angeles is 7-3 straight up in its last 10 games, and 5-5 against the puck line. Edmonton is 5-5 in its last 10 games overall. The Kings have gone 6-4 straight up in their last 10 road games while the Oilers have gone 6-4 straight up in their last 10 at home. The Oilers have gone 7-3 straight up against Los Angeles in their last 10 regular season meetings.
Only seven teams have been more profitable moneyline bets away from home than the Kings have been. This is largely due to their 9-8 record as the road underdog this season. A bettor would be up $3.02 had they bet a dollar on the Kings to win all 17 times that they have been a road dog in 2023-24. Meanwhile, Edmonton is 23-10 as the favourite on home ice this season, but if a bettor had wagered a dollar on them to win in each of those 33 games, they’d only be up about $1.33 in total.

Player Prop Betting Trends

Zach Hyman has nine goals on 44 shots in his last 10 games. That’s 10 more shots than the next best player. Hyman’s shots on goal prop is set at 3.5 (over -105) and he is priced at +115 to score a goal.
Leon Draisaitl
Anze Kopitar has scored six goals and 13 points in his last 10 games, while Adrian Kempe has potted three goals and 12 points in his last 10 games. Kopitar is listed at +250 to score a goal and Kempe is listed at +187. Their odds of scoring a point are -134 and -150, respectively. Kevin Fiala is also hot, with five goals in his last 10 games. Fiala has been shooting the puck more lately, ranking second on the team in shots over the last 10 games. He is listed at +200 to score a goal.
Viktor Arvidsson has only played seven games this season, but he recently returned from injury for the second time and has one goal and two assists in three games. Arvidsson is playing on the third line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Ales Laferriere, but he’s part of the top power play unit. He’s listed at +250 to score a goal and +100 to score a point.

Best Bets for Oilersnation

This matchup should feel like a playoff game given that the Kings are one of the teams that the Oilers are most likely to meet in the first round of the playoffs. For example, these two teams met at the end of March last season and the Oilers won 2-0. Then they met again in early April, and Edmont won 3-1. Both teams rank among the top-10 teams in goals against per 60 minutes over the past month, and under 6.5 at -125 is better than under 6 at even money.

Bet under 6.5 goals at -125.