Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers Game 1 Prediction and Betting Odds May 31
Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers Game 1 Preview
WagerTalk handicapper Andy Lang offers his thoughts on Monday’s Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers Western Conference Finals Game 1. The Avalanche took care of the Blues in six games while the Oilers knocked off the Flames in five.
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| Tuesday, May 31 | NHL Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | Colorado Avalanche -180 vs Edmonton Oilers +160 |
| Puckline: | Avalanche -1.5 (+130) / Oilers + 1.5 (-150) |
| Total: | 7 Goals (Over +110 / Under -130) |
| Game Time: | 8:00pm ET / 5:00pm PT |
| Arena: | Ball Arena in Denver, CO |
| TV: | TNT |
Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers Analysis
The Edmonton Oilers travel to Colorado for Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Avalanche. The Avalanche finished the regular season with a 56-19-7 record, good for the #1 seed.
The Oilers landed on 49-27-6 which gave them the 5th best record out West. These teams faced each other three times during the regular season with Colorado winning two of the games.
The Aves won 3-2 at home and 2-1 on the road, while the Oilers won at home 6-3. The puck drops at 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PST.
Avalanche Look Like Cup Favorites
The Colorado Avalanche eliminated the St. Louis Blues in six games with a 3-2 victory on Friday night. Goalie Darcy Kuemper stopped 18 of 20 shots, while J.T. Compher scored twice in the game.
Colorado will have the opportunity to open the series at home where they went 35-7-4 in the regular and post-season combined.
The offense has been outstanding for the Aves as they ranked 4th in both shots and goals scored. They multiple contributors so far in the playoffs between Nathan Mackinnons 13 points, Gabriel Landeskogs 11 points and Nazem Kadris 10 points.
Defense and goaltending were solid for the Avalanche as they ranked 9th in goals against per game and 19th in shots against. Kuemper went 37-12-4 with 2.54 GAA and .921 save percentage.
Oilers Offense Thrives Against Flames
The Edmonton Oilers shocked the Calgary Flames by eliminating them in only five games in the second round of the post-season. The Oilers ended the series in Game 5 with a 5-4 overtime victory.
Fitting that Connor McDavid scored the game winning goal on a Leon Draisaitl assist as McDavid had 3 goals on the series while Draisaitl recorded a staggering 15 assists. Draisaitl had four of those helpers in the clinching game, while goalie Mike Smith 32 of Calgary’s 36 shots.
The Oilers displayed a solid offensive attack during the regular season, ranking 8th in shots per game and 10th in goals per game. Connor McDavid finished the season #1 in points with 123, while Draisaitl finished 3rd with 110 points.
However their defense and goaltending were way below average as they ranked 18th in goals against and 21st in shots against per game.
Goaltender Mike Smith started all 12 playoff games and posted a 2.70 GAA and .927 save percentage. However he did allow three goals or more in 4 of the 5 games against Calgary.
Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers Prediction
The Colorado Avalanche are favored at -195 on the money line, with the Edmonton Oilers at +165 and a total of 7. The offense has been on fire for both teams in the post-season.
The Oilers scored 4+ goals in all five games against the Flames, while Colorado scored 3+ in five of six games in the 2nd round and 5+ in three of four games in the 1st round. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl both have 26 points in 12 post-season games.
Meanwhile Nathan MacKinnon has recorded at least one point in all but two post-season games. Both teams have average goaltenders but neither will be able to stand on their head against these offensive onslaughts.
Obviously Colorado is heavily favored to win, but the Oilers scoring ability gives them at least a punchers chance. I prefer to take the over as both teams should be firing away with tremendous offensive weapons.
Prediction: Over 7 Goals Scored
NHL Betting Guide
Thanks to the ever-expanding sports betting industry, there are now a variety of ways to attack the betting market outside of the traditional point spreads, moneylines and totals. Few sports have seen an increase of betting popularity like hockey, and we now have several different ways to wager on the NHL and international leagues. Check out our NHL Betting Guide with helpful terms and tips for novice bettors.
Puck Time | NHL Predictions for May 31
Join Carmine Bianco, Andrew McInnis and Don Buster for Tuesday’s edition of Puck Time as our panel of professional hockey handicappers break down tonight’s NHL playoff game between the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers and look ahead to the New York Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning game tomorrow.
WagerTalk Live Odds Screen
WagerTalk’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NHL moneylines, puck lines and betting percentages for all of the NHL playoff action, including this Colorado Avalanche vs Edmonton Oilers Game 1 showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Andy Lang has lived in Indianapolis his whole life, and like most people from the Hoosier State, he became fascinated with motor sports. That interest in motor sports turned into a desire to make money off the sport through fantasy contests and sports betting. Like most, he took his lumps when he first got started, but now he is one of the most respected NASCAR bettors in the industry. Andy has expanded that sports betting experience to become profitable in a number of other sports, transforming this interest from a side hobby to a major source of income.
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