The Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers will clash on Thursday night in a game with serious playoff implications.
Edmonton enters the contest in third place in the Pacific Division, a point behind Los Angeles and just three points behind first-place Vegas.
The Oilers have seven games remaining as they chase their first division title since the 1986-87 campaign and they’ll play the Kings twice down the stretch.
Edmonton is a -160 favourite on the moneyline and the total is set a hearty seven goals.
| Kings Moneyline Odds | +140 |
| Oilers Moneyline Odds | -160 |
| Over/Under | 7 goals (over -110, under -110) |
| Time/Date | Thursday, March 30, 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | Broadcast: Sportsnet West |
All odds courtesy of 
Previous matchups
The Kings have had Edmonton’s number in two previous meetings this year. Los Angeles skated to a 3-1 victory on Nov. 16 in Edmonton and then handed the Oilers a second loss, this time by a score of 6-3, on Jan. 9 at home. The two teams will clash for a fourth and final time in Los Angeles on April 4.
About the Kings (43-21-7-3, 41-33 ATS, 39-31 o/u)
The Kings had their franchise-record 12-game point streak snapped by the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. Despite falling 2-1 in the contest, Los Angeles is still a blistering 9-1-2 this month.
Three seems to be the magic number for the Kings this year as they boast a 38-6-4 record when scoring at least three goals. They had exceeded that three-goal mark in five of their previous six games before an offensive dud against Calgary.
With eight games remaining, Los Angeles does have a game in hand on Edmonton down the stretch.
Player to watch: Viktor Arvidsson
Although he was held off the scoresheet on Tuesday, forward Viktor Arvidsson has five goals and two assists in his last four games.
About the Oilers (43-23-5-4, 40-35 ATS, 45-22 o/u)
The Oilers are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs if they can continue to light the lamp and win games at their current pace. Edmonton is 11-2-1 this month and no team has played over the total in more games (45) than the Oilers this season.
Edmonton is averaging 4.7 goals per game over its last 10 contests while yielding an average of 3.5 goals per contest.
The Oilers have a roughly 14% chance of winning the Pacific Division entering play on Thursday, and they have the second-softest schedule down the stretch, according to Tankathon.
Player to watch: Connor McDavid
McDavid is always the player to watch in these previews as the undisputed best player in the NHL, and he’s riding a nine-game point streak (six goals, 13 assists) into this one. His co-pilot Leon Draisaitl is also hot, recording 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) during his own 10-game point streak.
Game To Go To A Shootout
Probable goaltenders
Los Angeles: Joonas Korpisalo (15-12-4, 2.88 GAA, .915 SV%) – confirmed.
Edmonton: Stuart Skinner (24-14-5, 2.95 GAA, .908 SV%) – confirmed.
Noteworthy absences
Kings winger Gabriel Vilardi sat out the team’s last game with an upper-body injury and is questionable.
For Edmonton, forward Ryan McLeod (upper body) and defenceman Ryan Murray (back) won’t suit up. Both players are hoping to return early next month.
Betting trends
- The over is 9-3 in the Kings’ last 12 road games.
- The Oilers are 13-3 in their last 16 games against Western Conference foes.
- Los Angeles is 5-11 in the past 16 meetings in Edmonton.
Wagers to consider
- Bet Boost Same Game Parlay – Oilers to win, Connor McDavid over 3.5 shots, Connor McDavid to score: +260. Edmonton needs to win this game to send a message to L.A. after two previous losses to the Kings. And when the Oilers win games, it’s usually because McDavid is firing pucks at the net and he scores a goal or two.
- Will The Game Go To A Shootout?: Yes +1200. With points so crucial for both teams in this one, it’s very plausable that we could see overtime (+350) or a shootout. A half-unit wager at +1200 might be worth a shot in the dark for fun. And everyone loves watching a shootout, especially with McDavid in the mix.
Other NHL games tonight
| Home Team |  | | Away Team | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | -500 | +375 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 7:00 PM |
| Montreal Canadiens | +190 | -230 | Florida Panthers | 7:00 PM |
| New Jersey Devils | -135 | +115 | New York Rangers | 7:00 PM |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | -200 | +170 | Nashville Predators | 7:00 PM |
| Ottawa Senators | -150 | +130 | Philadelphia Flyers | 7:00 PM |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | -192 | +167 | Washington Capitals | 7:00 PM |
| Detroit Red Wings | +180 | -220 | Carolina Hurricanes | 7:30 PM |
| Chicago Blackhawks | +130 | -150 | St. Louis Blues | 8:30 PM |
| Seattle Kraken | -330 | +265 | Anaheim Ducks | 10:00 PM |
| San Jose Sharks | +140 | -160 | Vegas Golden Knights | 10:30 PM |
