Golden Knights vs. Oilers NHL Betting Odds, Picks: Expect Plenty of Goals

Golden Knights vs. Oilers Odds

If you didn't look at their records, you might think a game between the Golden Knights and Oilers would be fairly even. You might even lean toward Edmonton being the favorite. After all, the Oilers made it to the Western Conference Final last season and the Golden Knights failed to make the playoffs.

The odds certainly reflect that outlook.

But then you look at the records. With the Oilers being 9-8-0 to the Golden Knights' 14-4-0, are these two teams really evenly matched or should you judge Vegas as the favorites, even if the odds suggest otherwise?

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Las Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas suffered a 3-2 loss to St. Louis on Nov. 12 and a 5-2 loss to San Jose on Tuesday. That's the closest the Golden Knights have come to a slump so far this season, but they stopped their slid with a 4-1 victory over Arizona on Thursday.

That victory came at a cost though. Nicolas Roy suffered a lower-body injury and couldn't complete the game. He's not expected to be out for long, but he is doubtful for Saturday's contest against Edmonton. Roy has been a helpful part of Vegas' offensive depth this season, providing four goals and 11 points in 18 games.

Still, the Golden Knights have a lot of other skilled players to lean on. Jack Eichel, Chandler Stephenson, Alex Pietrangelo, Reilly Smith, Jonathan Marchessault, Mark Stone, William Karlsson and Shea Theodore all have more points than Roy this season. It really speaks to Vegas' offensive depth that Roy has 11 points and is only in ninth place in the team's scoring race.

On top of that, Vegas doesn't necessarily need to win games through sheer offensive force. Logan Thompson has been fantastic this season with a 9-3-0 record, 2.27 GAA and a .925 save percentage.

However, Thompson has largely overperformed relative to what was expected of him going into the season, which makes the fact that he allowed 14 goals in four games from Nov. 3-15 concerning. He did bounce back Thursday by saving 25 of 26 shots, but he was playing against Arizona, which has the 30th-place offense this season, scoring just 2.56 goals per game.

Edmonton will provide Thompson with a far tougher test as we determine if he's simply enjoying a strong start, or if he's really capable of carrying the Golden Knights long-term.

Edmonton Oilers

Even with Thompson's recent slump, Edmonton has to look at Vegas' goaltending situation with envy. Edmonton thought it solved its goaltending issues when it signed Jack Campbell to a five-year, $25 million contract over the summer.

Instead, Campbell has gotten off to a disastrous start, posting a 4.27 GAA and a .873 save percentage in 10 contests. You can't pass judgment on a five-year contract after just a month and a half, but it is worth noting that Campbell seems to be trending in the wrong direction. He allowed six goals against Dallas on Nov. 5 and seven goals versus Carolina on Nov. 10.

That's led to Edmonton leaning more on Stuart Skinner, and he's been a strong alternative so far, posting a 3-4-0 record, 2.47 GAA and a .932 save percentage in eight contests. Still, Edmonton made a big commitment to Campbell and it's just a matter of time before it gives him another chance.

Goaltending hasn't been Edmonton's only issue. Although the Oilers' offense has been good overall, they've averaged just 2.71 goals in their past seven games. By contrast, Vegas has averaged 4.29 goals over the same timeframe.

Losing Evander Kane is certainly a significant factor to the Oilers' recent offensive woes. Unfortunately, that's not a loss that will be filled anytime soon. He suffered a cut to his wrist on Nov. 8 and isn't expected to be back until February, at the earliest.

Without him, the Oilers haven't had much offensive depth. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have each provided four goals over the past seven games, and that accounts for a staggering 42% of Edmonton's goals over that span. McDavid and Draisaitl are always going to be cornerstones of Edmonton's offense, but the rest of the forwards need to do more to back them up, especially when their goaltending is such a question mark.

Golden Knights vs. Oilers Pick

I do like Vegas on the moneyline, but the combination of the game being in Edmonton and Thompson's recent struggles give me a slight pause. In the end, I feel more comfortable simply betting the Over.

If Thompson is showing weakness and Edmonton's goaltending is suspect, this has the potential to be a high-scoring contest. While Edmonton's offense has holes in it, McDavid and Draisaitl always have the potential for a big night and there's certainly no lack of scoring options on the Golden Knights.

If you want a safer bet, you can take Vegas on the puck line. The potential payout there isn't great, but the chances that Vegas does well enough to stay within the 1.5-goal spread are strong.

Pick: Over 6.5 (-120) | Play to -130

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