Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he breaks down and handicaps Saturday’s matinee matchup between the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers.

Golden Knights vs. Oilers Odds

  • Edmonton Oilers Moneyline: -145
  • Vegas Golden Knights Moneyline: +125
  • Puck Line: Golden Knights +1.5 (-200), Oilers -1.5 (+165)
  • Game Total: 6.5 (Over +100, Under -120)
Game odds courtesy of Sports Interaction.

Handicapping the Golden Knights (19-10 SU, 17-12 ATS, 16-12-1 O/U)

Vegas kicked off its four-game win streak with a 1-0 win over Edmonton on Dec. 3, followed by victories over Anaheim, Dallas, and Winnipeg. After a five-day break, they’ll be back in action Sunday in Minnesota. Despite starting the season with four straight road losses, the Golden Knights have turned things around, winning eight of their last 11 away from home.
Saturday’s game marks the third meeting with Edmonton in the past five weeks, and the teams won’t face each other again until April 1. Vegas won the first two matchups by a combined score of 5-2 and holds a 6-3-1 record against the Oilers over their last 10 games. While the Golden Knights won their most recent trip to Rogers Place, they had lost four of their previous five visits there. The betting market still favors Edmonton, with the Oilers rated higher based on moneyline odds.
Statistically, Vegas has been tough to figure out. They rank 13th in shot differential and 10th in even-strength goal differential but grade out as below average in expected goals. That showed in their last meeting with Edmonton when the Oilers dominated nearly 75% of the expected goals and over 60% of the shots. However, Adin Hill’s stellar goaltending made the difference.
Vegas performed much better in the first meeting, controlling 55% of the shots and 65% of the expected goals, according to Evolving Hockey. That game also marked Mark Stone’s last appearance before his month-long absence. Stone has been back for two games, registering points in both, so expect the Golden Knights to play more aggressively than they did 11 days ago.

Handicapping the Oilers (17-12 SU, 11-18 ATS, 12-16-1 O/U)

The Oilers enter Saturday’s game riding a four-game win streak, but it’s their latest victory that has everyone talking. Sure, the Minnesota Wild were missing a few key players, but they’re still a tough opponent—and Edmonton’s 7-1 blowout was not only their most decisive win of the season but also their first in Minnesota since February 2019. The win came with some concern, though, as defenseman Evan Bouchard left late in the third period with an undisclosed injury.
Bouchard’s status is up in the air, with head coach Kris Knoblauch calling him 50-50 to play. While the injury isn’t considered serious, it’s notable since the 25-year-old has been a workhorse, playing in every game this season and appearing in at least 81 games in each of the last three seasons. Bouchard leads all Oilers defensemen in points with 22 and ranks fourth on the team in goals with six.
Connor McDavid added two points in the Minnesota win, bringing his total to 30 in 16 games since returning from injury, but it was Leon Draisaitl who stole the show. Draisaitl scored once and picked up three primary assists, helping Zach Hyman, Kasperi Kapanen, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins find the back of the net. Hyman now has four goals in as many games, while Edmonton also got contributions from Connor Brown, Troy Stetcher, and Derek Ryan, who scored his first goal of the season.
While the depth scoring is encouraging, the Oilers will need big performances from their stars to take down Vegas and make up ground in the Pacific Division. McDavid and Draisaitl have yet to register a point against the Golden Knights this season, and Edmonton will also need another solid outing from Stuart Skinner. Skinner was deliberately rested on Thursday, giving him three full days to prepare for this matchup.
Skinner has been heating up, ranking 12th in goals saved above expected since Nov. 19 after posting a positive mark in that category in five of his last six games, per Evolving Hockey. That’s a big turnaround for the goaltender, who ranked as the fifth-worst in that statistic earlier this season. In eight career regular-season games against Vegas, Skinner is 4-3-1 with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage.

Best Bet for Golden Knights vs. Oilers

Edmonton is an intriguing moneyline bet at -145, but it might be smarter to wait until closer to game time to see if Bouchard is confirmed in or out. In the meantime, I’m shifting my focus to the following player prop.

Leon Draisaitl Over 1.5 Points (+140) at Sports Interaction

Draisaitl has recorded 15 multi-point games this season, with 14 of those coming in his last 21 outings. He’s tallied at least two points in four straight games and six of his last 10. While he’s been held off the scoresheet in two games against Vegas this season, Draisaitl had points in six of his previous seven matchups with the Golden Knights, including five multi-point performances.