This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Expert Picks for March 28: Free NHL Bets and Player Props for Oilers vs. Golden Knights
The Edmonton Oilers (42-23-9) travel to meet the Vegas Golden Knights (46-21-6) Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas in a very important Pacific Division matchup. Puck drop is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on either ESPN+ or hulu.
The Golden Knights enter play with 98 points, sitting atop the Pacific Division. Vegas is two points clear of the Los Angeles Kings, with both teams having played 73 total games. Edmonton has 93 points, while both VGK and the Kings have a game in hand on the Oil.
This is the fourth and final meeting of the season, and if Vegas is unable to nail down a division title, the series with Edmonton might be a big reason. In the first meeting in Edmonton on Nov. 19, the Oilers posted a 4-3 win in overtime behind Stuart Skinner. In the second meeting on The Strip, VGK also fell 4-3, as that time it was Jack Campbell edging All-Star Logan Thompson.
And, in the most recent meeting, the Golden Knights were able to pick up a 4-3 win in OT on Saturday night. Are you seeing a trend? Yep, that's three straight meetings decided by a 4-3 score this season. In addition, five of the past eight in this series have been decided by exactly one goal, leaving fans hoping for a playoff series, as it could potentially be epic.
The visitor has picked up six victories in the past eight in this series, with three of the previous eight needing more than regulation to decide a winner.
In Saturday's meeting, it was a seesaw affair. Jack Eichel opened the scoring just 61 seconds into the game, while Zach Hyman answered at just 3:28 of the first period. Pavel Dorofeyev notched a power-play goal right before the end of the opening stanza, giving VGK a 2-1 lead.
The seesaw continued. Leon Draisaitl picked up a power-play goal in the second period, leveling things at 2-2 midway through the period.
In the third, VGK took the lead for the third time, as Jonathan Marchessault posted a goal, giving him two points on the evening. Warren Foegele answered back for the Oilers, and that was the last goal in regulation, forcing OT.
Nicolas Roy was the hero in the extra session, beating Skinner, making a winner of former Oilers backstop Laurent Brossoit. The latter made 27 saves on 30 total shots, while Skinner finished with 30 saves.
Eichel ended up with a goal and two assists, while Shea Theodore was good for a pair of helpers. Marchessault also finished with a goal and an assist, joining the multi-point club.
Skinner (23-14-5, 2.93 GAA, .909 SV%) is projected to get the start for the visitors, while Jonathan Quick (16-14-4, 3.40 GAA, .882 SV%, 2 SO) is expected to get the nod in the crease for the Golden Knights. If Quick, indeed, does get the start, he would be the fourth different VGK tendy to start against the Oilers this season, joining Adin Hill, Thompson and Brossoit.
The Oilers roll into Sin City with six wins in the past seven games, while going 4-1 in the past five on the road, and 5-2 in the past seven against winning teams. And Edmonton is 41-16 in the past 57 inside the Pacific Division.
The Golden Knights are 17-5 in the past 22 games while cashing in five straight against winning teams. VGK is 9-2 in the past 11 games at The Fortress, too.
While the latter is all well and good, the Oilers have won five of the past seven in the series, while going 4-1 in the past five trips to Las Vegas. The road team has also hit in six of the past eight meetings.
Based on the series trends, since both teams are red hot lately, let's roll with Edmonton, and heck, how about another 4-3 score?
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NHL Money Line Bets for Oilers vs. Golden Knights
- Oilers ML (-118 at BetRivers)
Lines at a majority of the shops are on a flat seven, although FanDuel and SI are offering 6.5 with a little extra juice. We have seen exactly seven goals in the first three meetings this season, so why play for a push? Let's go with 6.5 and Over.
The Over has dominated for Edmonton lately, going 35-14-5 in the past 54 games overall, while going 21-6 in the past 27 on the road. The Over is 5-1 in the past six games on no rest, too, while cashing at a 3-1-1 clip in the past five against teams with a winning overall record.
For Vegas, it's all about the Over lately, too. The Over is 5-1-1 in the past seven games overall, while hitting in each of the past four home outings. The Over is 3-1-1 in the past five games inside the Pacific Division, too.
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NHL Totals Bets for Oilers vs. Golden Knights
- Over 6.5 (-162 at FanDuel)
NHL Player Props for Oilers vs. Golden Knights
The player props for this Pacific Division battle have plenty of values, and maybe not from the players you'd normally think about first when considering these teams.
Edmonton's Evan Bouchard has five goals and 33 points across 74 games this season, and he has stepped up with 10 power-play assists, which is easily a career-high. In fact, his previous high in PPPs was seven, set last season.
Bouchard has really stepped up, especially after the team dealt Tyson Barrie prior to the trade deadline. He has racked up two goals and 12 points across the past 11 games. As he is getting plenty of time on the man advantage, and to grab just one point he is plus-money, roll with the 23-year rearguard.
- Evan Bouchard Over 0.5 Points (+135 at BetMGM)
Golden Knights pivot Nicolas Roy was the hero in Edmonton Saturday, bagging the OT GWG. He has scored goals in consecutive games, while posting at least a point in four in a row (3 G, 1 A). At plus-money, Roy is worth a roll of the dice to grab just a single point or more.
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- Nicolas Roy Over 0.5 Points (+105 at BetMGM)
