Oilers vs Kings Game 3 Odds, Prediction & Player Props (Friday, Apr. 26)

Apr 22, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) and Los Angeles Kings defensemen Drew Doughty (8) battle for a loose puck during the third period in game one of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

• The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings play Game 3 on Friday night
• The NHL Playoff odds favor Edmonton to prevail on the road
• Read below for Oilers vs Kings Game 3 prediction, odds and player props

The Edmonton Oilers head to Los Angeles to battle the Kings in a pivotal Game 3 matchup on Friday, April 26 at 10:30 PM ET. The game will be broadcast nationally on TBS and MAX from Crypto.com Arena.

The best-of-seven first-round series is tied 1-1 after the Kings pulled out a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory in Game 2. The Oilers are slight road favorites at -130 on the moneyline, while the Kings are +120 home underdogs.

Let’s explore the Oilers vs Kings Game 3 odds, as we provide our prediction and player props for Friday Night Hockey.

Oilers vs Kings Game 3 Odds

The Oilers are -140 road favorites over the Kings in the Game 3 NHL Playoff odds, giving them 58.3% implied improbability.

The game total is set at 6.5 goals with the over at +100 and the under at -120. Browse more NHL odds for the playoffs.

 

Odds as of April 26, 2024, at Bet365 Sportsbook. Claim the Bet365 promo code to bet on Oilers vs Kings Game 3.

Oilers-Kings Series Recap

Edmonton took the series opener in dominant fashion, cruising to a 7-4 win powered by a Zach Hyman hat trick. However, the Kings showed tremendous resilience in Game 2, twice taking two-goal leads before weathering an Oilers comeback and prevailing 5-4 in overtime on a fortuitous Anze Kopitar goal just two minutes into the extra session.

The Kings dictated play early in Game 2 as veterans Kopitar and Adrian Kempe led the way. Kopitar had a pair of assists on two first-period goals by Kempe before scoring the overtime winner himself. The series now shifts to Los Angeles with the Kings having wrestled home-ice advantage away.

Oilers Betting Outlook

Superstar captain Connor McDavid has been his usual brilliant self, dishing out six assists through the first two games. However, it’s been winger Zach Hyman who has provided the goal-scoring punch, finding the back of the net four times already this series after notching a career-high 36 goals during the regular season.

Leon Draisaitl, who formed a historically productive duo with McDavid in the regular season, has three assists in the series but has potted one goal.

“We have to be better, so it’s a good chance to get back to defending the right way & doing it right.”

Leon Draisaitl on bringing their best tonight in Game 3. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/c9UAKOPLpG

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 26, 2024

A major area of concern for Edmonton is in net, where 25-year-old Stuart Skinner has struggled mightily. Skinner has allowed four or more goals in seven of his last nine playoff starts dating back to last year. In this series, he has an ugly .857 save percentage and 4.42 goals against average.

The Oilers’ typically potent power play is humming along at a 57% clip (4-for-7), but Skinner will need to be much better for Edmonton to advance.

The Oilers were dominant at home in the regular season, posting a league-best plus-63 goal differential in their own building. But they were just 21-20 on the road with a minus-7 goal differential, so playing in Los Angeles could prove challenging. Edmonton split their two regular-season meetings at Crypto.com Arena.

Kings Betting Outlook

The Kings have been led offensively by winger Adrian Kempe, who has three goals in the series after scoring 41 in the regular season. Anze Kopitar, in his 18th season with Los Angeles, had the overtime winner in Game 2 and has four points through two games.

Kevin Fiala, the Kings’ big offseason acquisition, scored the go-ahead goal in Game 2 and looks dangerous every shift. In net, the Kings turn to veteran Cam Talbot who has been shaky in his own right with a .867 save percentage so far.

Back on home ice 🏡 pic.twitter.com/YGWLFoZgdB

— x – LA Kings (@LAKings) April 26, 2024

However, Los Angeles has generated more high-danger chances at 5-on-5 than the Oilers. Per Natural Stat Trick, the Kings owned 58.5% of the expected goals and 56.5% of the shots at even strength in their Game 2 victory. That’s a strong response after Edmonton dominated those metrics in the series opener.

The Kings went 2-4 at home against the Oilers in last year’s playoffs but have taken either Game 3 or Game 4 in each of their recent series against Edmonton. They’ll look to continue that trend and put the pressure squarely on the Oilers by protecting home ice.

Betting Trends and Insights

– Both teams are mostly healthy, though Kings defenseman Drew Doughty’s status is worth monitoring after he briefly left Game 2.

– The series has been high-scoring with 20 total goals through two games. The over is 4-1 in the Oilers’ last five and 3-0 in the Kings’ last three.

– With McDavid and Draisaitl, the Oilers are still favored to win the series at -200 odds. But the longer it goes, the more it favors the Kings.

– Seven of the last 15 Oilers-Kings playoff games have been decided by one goal, with five going to overtime. Bettors can wager on Game 3 needing OT at +320 odds (23.8% implied probability).

Oilers vs Kings Game 3 Prediction

We predict the Kings will continue their strong play at home and take a 2-1 series lead with a narrow victory at Crypto.com Arena. The over 6.5 is a strong bet, but the Kings moneyline at plus-money is the best value.

Kempe and Hyman are good options for player props as both have been filling the net. Kempe has 10 goals in his last 15 playoff games against Edmonton, while Hyman has an astounding 18 goals in 30 postseason games as an Oiler.

Until either Skinner or Talbot prove they can shut the door, overs will likely continue to cash. The Oilers’ power play is lethal, but the Kings have more than held their own at even strength. Expect a high-scoring, back-and-forth Game 3 in Los Angeles with the Kings ultimately prevailing

EDM vs LAK Picks:

• Kings ML (+120)
• Over 6.5 (+100)
• Kempe Anytime Goal (+175)

 

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