Expert NHL Best Bets and Predictions for Wednesday, May 1

NHL Best Bets

Tonight, the NHL focus shifts to the Western Conference first-round matchups. The Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars are playing in a pivotal Game Five in a series in which the road team has won every game. Then, we will shift over to Edmonton, where the Oilers have a chance to eliminate the Los Angeles Kings on home ice. This game makes for some interesting NHL best bets.

Los Angeles at Edmonton (-192, 6.5)

The Los Angeles Kings completely dominated the Edmonton Oilers in Game Four, but Stuart Skinner had the performance of his career. The Oilers had no business winning that game and they did it uncharacteristically, winning 1-0. I can’t remember the last time I saw an Oilers team do that. Skinner had a 33-save shutout and has put up some pretty solid numbers thus far in the playoffs. He is skating to a .919 save percentage, a 2.48 goals against average, and a +1.0 goals saved above expected. 

David Rittich had a hell of a game for the Kings, but playing against the Oilers in Edmonton will be a different animal, especially with them having the chance to close out the series. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Evan Bouchard have been unstoppable for the Oilers, as they’re all producing more than a point per game, but special teams have been the real difference in this series. 

Draisaitl has had at least three shots in three of the five games in this series, and I feel he will have an attack-first mentality tonight. 

The Oilers’ power play is clicking at 53.3% and they haven’t allowed a single goal on the penalty kill. There weren’t many calls in Game Four; each team only had one power play opportunity, but the Oilers made it count, thanks to a Bouchard blast from the point. 

The Kings have gone 0/11 on their power play chances in this series, and that’s what this has ultimately come down to. They can’t stop Edmonton’s man-advantage and haven’t gotten any kind of boost from their own. 

With Skinner playing as well as he did in Game Four, this feels like it needs to be a statement. 

NHL Best Bet(s): Edmonton Oilers to win in regulation -120 (play to -130) | Leon Draisaitl over 2.5 shots on goal -130 (play to -140)

May Record: 0-0 (+0.00 units)