The Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers, rivals from the Pacific Division, will begin their journey in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs with Game 1 on Monday in Los Angeles. This is the fourth straight year these two teams have met in the first round of the playoffs. Both teams finished near the top of their division and had strong finishes to the regular season, each winning four of their last five games. Interestingly, the Kings dominated the regular season series against the Oilers, winning three of their four matchups, including a recent 5-0 shutout victory in Edmonton.
Game 1 is set to start at 10 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Oddsmakers have установлены Kings as slight favorites for this game.
Experts at SportsLine`s proven model are providing predictions for this matchup, noting their strong performance in the previous NHL season, especially with puck-line and over/under bets.
Kings Favored to Win Game 1
The Kings have had the Oilers` number recently, shutting them out in their last two regular-season games with scores of 3-0 and 5-0. Since the NHL trade deadline, Los Angeles has been one of the league`s hottest teams. They are particularly strong defensively when playing at home. SportsLine`s model predicts the Kings will win Game 1 in over 60% of simulations.
Key Player Matchup: Connor McDavid
Oilers superstar Connor McDavid is entering the playoffs on a high note, racking up assists in his recent games. While his performance against the Kings this season has been more modest, he has a history of strong playoff performances against them, including a five-assist game in last year`s playoffs.
Quinton Byfield: A Player to Watch
While not as famous as McDavid, Kings forward Quinton Byfield has been a significant factor in the Kings-Oilers games this season. He has scored multiple goals against Edmonton and comes into the playoffs in good scoring form.
