NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Kings vs Oilers (Monday, February 26)

Monday, Feb. 26

9:30 p.m. ET

ESPN+

Kings Odds	+130
Oilers Odds	-155
Over / Under	6.5 -115o / -105u

Odds via bet365. Get up-to-the-minute NHL odds here.

Here's everything you need to know about the Los Angeles Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers on Monday, February 26 – our expert NHL prediction and pick.

Though they’ve been on opposite trajectories this season, the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers find themselves deadlocked in the standings with 68 points each as they prepare to do battle at Rogers Place.

The Kings started the season looking nearly unbeatable, especially on the road. But a dramatic post-Christmas slump led to the dismissal of coach Todd McLellan. They've engineered a tidy turnaround in February, however.

Meanwhile, the Oilers had a horrific start to the year and changed coaches in mid-November. By January, they were on the verge of setting an all-time record for consecutive wins. But since that streak ended after the All-Star break, Edmonton has struggled with consistency — and keeping the puck out of the net.

In two earlier meetings this year, each side has won once at Staples Center. On Monday, look for the Kings to stay hot as they kick off a three-in-four trip across Western Canada.

In Los Angeles, the new-coach bump has had the desired effect. Since Jim Hiller was promoted during the All-Star break, the Kings have gone 6-2-0 and solidified their position in the Western Conference playoff picture.

They aren’t scoring a ton under Hiller — averaging 2.63 goals per game — but their power play has been red hot, including a 5-for-9 stretch over the last three games. And with David Rittich carrying most of the load in net, the goaltending is holding up.

Recalled in mid-December and playing most of L.A.’s games since mid-January, Rittich is now up to 9-3-3 for the year, with a .917 save percentage and 11.43 goals saved above expected. The Kings are one of the best puck-possession teams in the NHL, controlling 55.52% of expected goals at 5-on-5, which creates a very goalie-friendly environment.

Los Angeles is starting a back-to-back set Monday. They’ll also play in Calgary on Tuesday, so Cam Talbot will most likely get one start. Though he hasn’t played much lately, Talbot allowed just one goal in each of his last two outings — wins over Pittsburgh and Columbus.

The level of concern is rising again in Oil Country after a flat start Saturday led to a 6-3 home loss to the Calgary Flames in the latest installment of the Battle of Alberta. The Oilers are now 0-2-1 on their current home stand and 4-5-1 since their 16-game winning streak came to a close right after the All-Star break.

What has gone wrong? Mostly, the problem has been on the defensive side of the puck. Though they still own the NHL’s best expected goals share for the full season at 57.54%, the Oilers have allowed 4.2 goals per game over the last 10. Their expected goals share has actually improved during that time, to 58.53% at 5-on-5. But Edmonton’s team save percentage of .8846 during that same stretch is third worst in the league, and the penalty kill has been second worst at just a 62.5% success rate.

Surprisingly, the Oilers have been better on the penalty kill over the last three games, going 8-for-10.

Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard split the duties in net for Edmonton’s back-to-back last weekend, and both looked shaky. Skinner has continued to get most of the work in the Oilers net but gave up 11 goals in his last two games. Coach Kris Knoblauch may choose to change his rotation for Monday's important clash.

The Oilers are healthy. But there could be some frayed nerves in the dressing room as the trade deadline approaches, with the knowledge that the team is looking to upgrade its roster.

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Despite their current woes, the Oilers have opened at -156 on the moneyline for Monday’s matchup, giving them implied odds of winning of nearly 61%. 

Considering current trends — and the fact that L.A. beat Edmonton 4-0 the last time these teams met — that seems high. 

After such a disappointing outing against Calgary on Saturday, the Oilers are due to bounce back. But they showed earlier in the season that once they get into a funk, they can have a hard time climbing out of their hole. Furthermore, the Kings are playing well.

With third place on the line in the Pacific Division, Monday’s game will be a high-pressure affair which might not be the best environment for an Edmonton team that’s looking emotionally fragile.

Back the road 'dogs.

Pick: Kings Moneyline (+135 at BetMGM; Play down to +110)