The first major upset in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs occurred during the very first day of action, as the Los Angeles Kings stunned the Edmonton Oilers in overtime. Can the Kings win another game on the road to gain great momentum heading into their home ice, or will the Oilers be able to salvage a victory of their own to even up the series?

Nitrobetting is here to turn your betting slapshots into winning goals with betting tips and news coverage throughout the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. This time, let’s break down the upcoming Game 2 first-round showdown between the Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers.

Kings vs. Oilers Game 2 2023 NHL Playoffs First-Round Information

• When: Wednesday, April 19, 2023, 10:00 PM ET
• Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB
• TV: ESPN, CBC, SN, TVAS, BSSC
• Radio: KWKW 1330 AM (Kings) // 630 CHED (Oilers)
• Live Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Betting Odds: Kings (+1.5) / Oilers (-1.5)

READ MORE: Lightning vs. Maple Leafs 2023 NHL Playoffs Odds and Game 2 Preview – April 20th

Why Bet on the Los Angeles Kings?

Against all odds, the No. 6 Los Angeles Kings staged the biggest upset on the opening day of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a tense 4-3 overtime victory over the third-seeded Edmonton Oilers. Los Angeles found itself down two goals in the second period but didn’t give up until the game was ultimately decided.

Alex Iafallo scored the game-winning power-play goal in OT to give the Oilers a taste of their own medicine. Edmonton was the best power-play team during the regular season (32.4 PP%) but it was the fourth-ranked Kings (25.3 PP%) that got the better of their Pacific Divison rivals. LA’s loyal superstars also stood out, with Adrian Kempe scoring two goals and Anze Kopitar also scoring a goal and dishing out assists in his team’s three other scores.

Kudos also go out to Finnish goaltender Joonas Korpisalo for stopping 40 shots on goal from the high-powered Oilers. The Kings find themselves in a similar situation as their previous playoff meeting against the Oilers last year by winning the series opener. Their previous affair lasted seven games, which reinforces the notion that LA seems to be Edmonton’s weakness.

Why Bet on the Edmonton Oilers?

Even after going up two goals in the first period, the Edmonton Oilers gassed out and scored just one more goal in the third period en route to a heartbreaking loss in Game 1. One can forgive goalie Stuart Skinner for a less-than-impressive playoff debut (.886 save percentage on Monday), but it’s Edmonton’s offense that needs the most work.

The Oilers were the highest-scoring team during the regular season nearly averaging four goals per contest. Star forward Leon Draisaitl scored two goals and defenseman Evan Bouchard tallied the other, but that wasn’t enough as Edmonton’s main man Connor McDavid was kept in check and failed to register a single point in Game 1.

McDavid finished with 153 points during the regular season, which is the most for any NHL player since 1996 and fourth all-time in the record books. The leading candidate for the Hart Memorial Trophy is too good to have an off night like Monday’s dud of an outing and McDavid should play with more intensity in Game 2 Wednesday to prevent the series from getting out of hand.

Kings vs. Oilers Betting Trends

• The Kings are 4-1 in the last five road games.
• The Kings lost five straight outings as underdogs before winning Game 1 Monday.
• The totals went over in each of Los Angeles’ last three games away from SoCal.
• The Oilers are 9-2 in the last 11 home games.
• The Oilers have lost five straight postseason affairs.
• The totals went over in five of Edmonton’s last seven playoff contests.

Kings vs. Oilers Game 2 Expert Betting Predictions

If last year’s first-round series between these two teams is any indication, Edmonton should be able to bounce back in Game 2 this Wednesday night. After all, the Kings needed overtime to eke out a win in Game 1 and McDavid should be more involved in the Oilers’ offense with their backs against the wall. The rematch should still be a relatively high-scoring affair regardless considering that most of the Kings and Oilers’ games have gone over as seen in their recent trends above.

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