Oilers vs Kings Game 3 Odds, Picks, and Predictions: Draisaitl Does It All for Edmonton

The first round matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings shifts to Crypto.com Arena tonight with the series tied at one game apiece following a dominant Oilers win in Game 2.

Leon Draisaitl has been the star of the show so far with two straight multi-point outings. Can Draisaitl lift Edmonton to its first lead of the series, or will the Kings slow down a star-studded Oilers attack?

Let’s dig into all of that and more in our Oilers vs Kings NHL picks and predictions for Friday, April 21.

Oilers vs Kings Game 3 odds

Oilers vs Kings series odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook as of April 21, 2023.

Oilers vs Kings Game 3 predictions

After a shocking collapse in Game 1, the Oilers bounced back with a solid 4-2 win to even up the series in Game 2. Leon Draisaitl led the charge offensively with a goal and two assists, though Connor McDavid had another quiet night with just one helper.

McDavid has been all over the ice with 11 shots through the first two games of the series but has yet to make his mark offensively, recording no goals and one assist so far in this first round matchup. Draisaitl has picked up the slack, though, with three goals and two assists to lead all players on either team in goals and points.

If Edmonton is going to take its first lead of the series, Draisaitl will likely need to keep up his production — especially if McDavid doesn’t find his stride.

At the other end of the rink, Joonas Korpisalo has been sturdy in the Kings’ cage, stopping 70 of 76 shots for a .921 SV% through the first two games of the postseason. While Korpisalo has been good, Los Angeles’ defense has been slacking, as the Kings have been outshot 76-59 so far.

Draisaitl’s hot start to the postseason comes as no surprise given that he’s tallied 11 multi-point outings in his last 15 contests going back to mid-March. Unless the Kings can find a way to limit the Oilers’ chances, we could see another big night on the score sheet for the Oilers star.

My best bet: Draisaitl Over 1.5 Points (+115)

Oilers vs Kings Game 3 moneyline analysis

The Oilers skate into Game 3 as the favorite for the third straight contest, opening at -143 on the moneyline while getting bumped up to around -150 at most books by Thursday night. Edmonton has definitely been the better team through the first two games of the series, so I’m banking on the Oilers to come with the win tonight.

On top of outshooting the Kings through two games, the Oilers have also outclassed them in both scoring chances (77-63) and expected goals (8.85-5.63). Without Anze Kopitar’s late tying goal in Game 1, this series would already be 2-0 for Edmonton, and I expect results to swing in the Oilers’ favor if they continue to outplay the Kings.

Edmonton has enjoyed success when traveling to Los Angeles as well, winning four of the last five meetings at Crypto.com Arena. The Oilers have averaged 3.60 GPG during that five-game stretch while allowing just 2.60 GPG. 

While defense was the Kings’ strength heading into the series, the Oilers have arguably been the better defensive squad so far, holding Los Angeles to just 24 shots in Game 2. If the defense holds up and McDavid finally breaks through, this could be a big win for the Oilers.

Oilers vs Kings Game 3 Over/Under analysis

The total opened at 6.5 goals for the third straight game, and I’m going to stick with the Under for the third straight game as well.

The Kings have slowed down offensively since late March, averaging just 2.54 GPG over their last 11 contests, and scoring three or more goals in just six of those games.

While the Oilers own the NHL’s most dynamic offense, they’ve also taken some huge strides defensively, allowing just 1.33 GPG through their last nine contests. Edmonton and Los Angeles have faced off four times over that span, with the Kings managing just seven goals in those meetings. That all points to another low-scoring effort from the hosts in Game 3.

In terms of head-to-head history, the Under has cashed in six of the last eight meetings, while the teams have combined for six goals or fewer in seven of their last 10 matchups.

Oilers vs Kings betting trend to know

Edmonton is 21-5 in its last 26 games vs Western Conference opponents. Find more NHL betting trends for Oilers vs Kings.

Oilers vs Kings Game 3 game info

Oilers vs Kings Game 3 injuries

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