Oilers vs Golden Knights Game 2 Prediction & Best Bets: Edmonton Heads Home With Tied Series

The second round of the 2022-23 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs continues on Saturday, May 6. The night’s schedule features the Edmonton Oilers taking on the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of their Western Conference side. After Vegas won Game 1, can Edmonton even up this Oilers vs Golden Knights series before it’s too late?

From @TSNRyanRishaug on @JayOnSC: How the Oilers are still a 'confident group' after their Game 1 loss to the Golden Knights. https://t.co/ayucTgWksT

— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) May 5, 2023

Game 1 didn’t see any shortage of offense, ending in a 6-4 victory for the Golden Knights. Ivan Barbashev scored twice while four other Vegas players found the back of the net, overcoming Leon Draisaitl’s four-goal performance. After going 0-2 against the Oilers on home ice during the regular season, this was a victory that the Golden Knights desperately needed.

Can the Oilers avoid falling into an 0-2 hole? Or will the Golden Knights head north of the border with a stranglehold on the series?

Here’s a look at everything you know heading into Game 2 of the Oilers vs Golden Knights series, from the latest betting odds to a prediction with the best betting recommendation.

Edmonton Oilers vs Vegas Golden Knights Game 2 Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vegas Golden Knights (VGK leads 1-0)
• Venue & Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada)
• Date: Saturday, May 6, 2023
• Game Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Time
• Kraken vs Stars TV Info: TNT, CBC, SportsNet

Oilers vs Golden Knights Game 2 Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Friday, May 5 at 8:30 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Edmonton Oilers -1.5 (+188)
• Vegas Golden Knights +1.5 (-230)

Over/Under

• Over 6.5 Goals (-128)
• Under 6.5 Goals (+104)

Moneyline

• Edmonton Oilers -120
• Vegas Golden Knights +100

Oilers vs Golden Knights Betting Trends

• Edmonton is 9-2 straight up in its last 11 road games.
• Vegas is 7-1 straight up in its last eight games against the Western Conference.
• The total has hit the over in five of Edmonton’s last seven games against the Pacific Division.
• The total has hit the over in five of Vegas’ last six games.
• The total has hit the over in four of the last five Edmonton-Vegas matchups played at T-Mobile Arena.

Oilers vs Golden Knights Game 2 Preview

It’s back to the drawing board for the Oilers after letting Draisaitl’s four-goal game go to waste. All they needed was one other player to score before Jack Eichel’s empty-net goal to force overtime. Instead, they look to even the series tonight.

Fortunately for the Oilers, they boast some of the best players in the world that can help get the job done. Draisaitl’s impressive performance may not have led to a win, but he now has 11 goals and 15 points in the playoffs, proving that he can show up when needed.

That’s not even to mention the best player in the world, Connor McDavid, who has 12 of his own points. If he can start getting the ball rolling, the Golden Knights will find it incredibly difficult to shut down the Oilers’ duo.

That’ll be the case even more so if Laurent Brossoit has another less-than-stellar showing in Game 2. Though his team got the series-opening win, Brossoit was far from perfect in Vegas’ victory, allowing four goals on just 27 shots. He’s now finished with a sub-.900 save percentage in two of his last four starts, proving that he’s vulnerable.

It’s also important to point out how the Oilers aren’t known to stay down for long. After all, they’ve won 13 of their last 16 games for a reason. In fact, they haven’t lost back-to-back contests since the last week of February, proving that they know how to respond in the face of adversity.

On top of that, Edmonton has also won nine of its last 11 road games, outscoring opponents 48-33 with a 50.0% (16-of-32) power-play success rate over that stretch. Continuing that PP success will come in handy considering how the Golden Knights have only killed 52.9% of penalties taken over their last eight home games.

Furthermore, the Golden Knights haven’t performed well at home against their division rivals, going 7-7 straight up against Pacific Division teams at T-Mobile Arena. On the other hand, the Oilers are an impressive 14-3 straight up on the road against their division this season.

At the end of the day, several trends paint the Oilers in a good spot to bounce back Saturday night. The Golden Knights are solid, but they’re far from perfect. If the Oilers can exploit those weaknesses, they’ll head back to Edmonton with a tied series.

Oilers vs Golden Knights Game 2 Prediction and Picks

Oilers vs Golden Knights Prediction: Oilers 5, Golden Knights 3

Kraken vs Stars: Oilers ML (Best Value: -120 at BetOnline) & Over 6.5 Total Goals (Best Value: -128 at BetOnline)

After the Golden Knights had their fun in Game 1, it’s time for the Oilers to even things up. Edmonton rarely loses back-to-back games and has the elite talent to put Vegas on its heels. I expect the Oilers to step on the gas pedal early on and not let up, especially if Brossoit plays as poorly as he did earlier this week.

I also recommend backing the total to go over 6.5 goals. Both sides are rich with offensive talent, highlighted by the over being 4-1 in Edmonton’s last five games and 5-1 in Vegas’ previous six. Four of the last five Oilers vs Golden Knights matchups have also gone over 6.5 goals, averaging 8.4 goals over that span.

With both goalies playing below expectations to open the series, expect a fair amount of offense in Game 2.

Other Oilers vs Golden Knights Betting Resources

• Oilers vs Golden Knights Consensus Picks, Score Projections & Betting Stats (will be updated when available)

Other NHL Stories on Betting News (May 5)

• Stanley Cup Winner Odds and Best Bets