Head-to-head info
The Oilers and Kings have met several times in the playoffs over the last handful of years and Edmonton has always gotten the better of their divisional rivals. As for regular season action, this will be their first meeting of 2024-25. The Oilers went 3-1 in four matchups last season, however. LA has something to prove here.
Kings having a respectable campaign
Despite a lack of playoff experience in recent seasons, the Kings are playing well so far. They own a 19-10-5 record, which is good for third place in the Pacific. In fact, LA is just one point behind the Oilers, who are in second. The biggest strength for this squad is their blue line, who are allowing just 2.56 goals per game. That ranks third in the NHL. The Kings are also allowing the fewest amount of shots on goal in the league at 24.7.
Darcy Kuemper will start in net on Saturday and he’s been brilliant, compiling a 8-2-5 record, 2.40 GAA, and .911 save percentage. Offensively, Los Angeles has some weapons, too. Adrian Kempe leads the way with 16 goals and 16 assists, while Anze Kopitar has 10 goals and 27 assists of his own. Alex Laferriere and Kevin Fiala have registered 20+ points as well.
Despite losing back-to-back games, the Kings have had six days off and should come into this one fresh. It also marks the beginning of a five-game homestand. LA has won five in a row at Crypto.com Arena. But, they also know how difficult of a matchup the Oilers are. The Kings have to bring their best here. Their solid blue line will be focused on slowing down McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. LA is a very slim underdog for this one at NHL sportsbooks.
Oilers finding their way
Edmonton got off to a slow start to begin this season but they’ve since figured it out. The Stanley Cup finalists are only five points out of first place in the Pacific and seven points behind top spot in the Western Conference as a whole. They’ve posted a 21-11-2 record and have been very solid on both ends of the ice, ranking 10th in goals scored and eighth in fewest goals allowed.
Draisaitl has been the main man for the Oilers, scoring 24 goals and tallying 28 assists for a total of 52 points. McDavid isn’t far behind him with 49 points, including 15 goals and 34 assists. The supporting cast has struggled for Edmonton but they’re starting to play a bit better as of late. If this group is going to make another run at the Cup, they need all hands on deck – not just their superstars.
The Oilers are hot at the moment, beating the Bruins and Sharks in OT before taking down Ottawa a week ago. It was Adam Henrique, Zach Hyman, and Viktor Arvidsson who did the scoring here, which is a good sign. Edmonton needs to be able to win games even when Draisaitl and McDavid aren’t finding the back of the net. This will be the first time they face the Kings since knocking them out of the first round of last season’s playoffs. The visitors are deemed a slim favorite at Betway.
