NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Oilers vs Golden Knights Game 2 (Saturday, May 6)

Oilers vs. Golden Knights Game 2 Odds

Game 2 in this Western Conference series is set for Saturday evening as the Vegas Golden Knights host the Edmonton Oilers.

After losing 6-4 in Game 1, Edmonton looks to rebound before heading home for Games 3 and 4. Will the Oilers get revenge? Or will Vegas defend home ice again?

Here's a look at the odds, as well as my Oilers vs. Golden Knights betting pick.

Edmonton Oilers

The bad news for the Edmonton Oilers is that they opened this round with a 6-4 loss. The good news is that despite playing their worst hockey in months, they hung around and had plenty of opportunities to steal the game.

That outing was Edmonton's first regulation loss since March 11 and I find it hard to believe that'll happen in back-to-back games. This Oilers team is different from years prior, primarily because they've learned that they must play defense to make a real run at the Cup.

Since the Christmas break, at 5-on-5, Edmonton ranks sixth in the league in both expected goals for per 60 minutes (xGF/60) and expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60). Backing up this team is Calder Trophy candidate Stuart Skinner, who had a tough outing in Game 1.

With that said, a bounce back performance could be in store. Through 50 appearances in the crease during the regular season, Skinner posted a 29-14-5 record with a .913 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.75 goals against average (GAA).

His underlying metrics were just as tremendous as he ranked seventh among starting goaltenders in goals saved above expected per 60 minutes (GSAx/60) at 5-on-5.

Vegas Golden Knights

Across the ice, Laurent Brossoit is slated to start between the pipes for the Vegas Golden Knights. In my opinion, he is the biggest obstacle for the Oilers to overcome in this series.

After staying in the minors for most of the regular season, Brossoit was called up in February and made an immediate impact. He's posted a 7-0-3 record with a .927 SV% and a 2.17 GAA over 11 appearances in the crease.

However, due to the small sample size, there was a question as to whether those results would be sustainable throughout a playoff push. After dominating a self-imploding and injured Winnipeg Jets team in the opening round, Brossoit saw regression in Game 1 against Edmonton.

In that contest, he allowed four goals on 27 shots (.852 SV%). It's unfair to put all the blame on Brossoit since the Oilers possess a freight train of an offense, but continued regression would put the Knights in a very difficult position moving forward in this series.

Oilers vs. Golden Knights Pick

While Edmonton has dominated virtually every opponent over the second-half of the season, a stale offense has given Vegas a lot of trouble. Since the Christmas break, at 5-on-5, the Knights rank 19th in the league in xGF/60.

Meanwhile, Brossoit has bailed out a generally leaky defense. Over that same stretch, Vegas ranks 18th in the league in xGA/60 at 5-on-5.

If Brossoit is unable to keep it up, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl could continue to wreak havoc moving forward.

Pick: Oilers Moneyline (-125 | Play up to -140)

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