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- What: Game 3 NHL Western Conference Round 2 Playoffs
- Who: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers
- Date: Monday, May 8, 2023
- Location: Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: ESPN, CBC, SN, TVAS
The 2023 NHL Western Conference playoff series between the Edmonton Oilers and the Vegas Golden Knights began on Wednesday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Vegas won that first game by a score of 6-4. On Saturday night, the Edmonton Oilers bounced back with a 5-1 win over the Golden Knights on enemy ice.
Edmonton’s star forward, Leon Draisaitl, continued to put the puck in the net at a torrid pace. Draisaitl, who scored seven goals in a six-game first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings, put up four goals in Game 1 of the Vegas series and added two markers in Game 2. Draisaitl, who scored 52 goals during the 2023 NHL regular season, could break the all-time NHL playoff goal scoring record, which Reggie Leach and Jari Kurri share. Leach set the record of 19 goals, in 16 games, with the 1976 Philadelphia Flyers. Kurri tied the record in 1985 with 19 goals in 18 games while playing for Edmonton.
The Golden Knights vs. Oilers 2023 NHL playoff series moves to Edmonton for Game 3 on Monday night. Before we look at the betting breakdown for that game, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 Stanley Cup and our tips for betting on the NHL.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers betting picks for Game 3
| To Win Game 3 Western Conference Playoff Series |  |  |  |  |  |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +153 | +150 | +155 | +160 | +142 |
| Edmonton Oilers | -170 | -175 | -175 | -180 | -175 |
Vegas Golden Knights betting breakdown
The Vegas Golden Knights have two tasks on the defensive side of the ice during their Round 2 series against the Edmonton Oilers. The first is to limit the scoring of Leon Draisaitl. The second is to cool the blazing-hot Oilers’ power play. Unfortunately, Vegas is failing on both counts. Draisaitl has six goals in two games, and the power play has put the puck in the net four times in the series.
Mark Stone leads the Golden Knights in playoff scoring with 11 points, while Chandler Stephenson is the team leader in goals with five. In Game 1, Ivan Barbashev picked up two goals for the Golden Knights. He scored the team’s only goal in Game 2. Barbashev had one playoff goal in the first round of the 2023 NHL postseason.
The Golden Knights had three power play goals during their first round series against the Winnipeg Jets, and the club picked up two power play markers in Game 1 of the Oilers’ series. The team had three power play chances in Game 2, but failed to capitalize on those chances. If they hope to move onto the Western Conference Finals, Vegas needs to be more productive in this series on the power play than they were against Winnipeg.
Laurent Brossoit has started all of the Golden Knights playoff games this year. However, Adin Hill saw his first postseason action in the third period of Game 2 of the Oilers’ series. He replaced Brossoit after the starting netminder gave up five goals on 32 shots in the first forty minutes of the game.
Edmonton Oilers betting breakdown
The power play has been the difference-maker for the Edmonton Oilers during the 2023 NHL playoffs. The team had the top power play in the league and continued to click at an excellent rate in Game 1 of their series against the Vegas Golden Knights, scoring two power play goals in the loss. The Oilers followed that with three PP goals in Game 2. As for the team’s penalty kill, after giving up two goals in Game 1, held tough in Game 2, keeping the Golden Knights from scoring with a man advantage.
Leon Draisaitl is having an excellent 2023 postseason for the Oilers. In Game 1 of the Golden Knights series, Draisaitl scored four goals. He followed that with two markers in Game 2. Draisaitl leads the NHL playoffs in goals (13) and points (17). If the Oilers hope to beat Vegas, the team will need players like Connor McDavid and Evander Kane to start putting the puck in the net. McDavid got on the board in Game 2 with two goals. He is second on the team in points (15) and goals (5).
Stuart Skinner could have had a better Game 1 for the Oilers in net. He gave up five goals on 33 shots. Skinner followed that shaky performance by stopping 30 of 31 shots in Game 2. Saturday’s performance was Skinner’s best game of the 2023 NHL playoffs.
Oilers vs. Golden Knights Playoff Series Schedule
Game 3: Monday, May 8, 5:30 p.m. PT at Rogers Place (ESPN)
Game 4: Wednesday, May 10, 7 p.m. PT at Rogers Place (ESPN)
Game 5: Friday, May 12, (Time TBD) at T-Mobile Arena (TNT)
*Game 6: Sunday, May 14, (Time TBD) at Rogers Place (Broadcast TBD)
*Game 7: Tuesday, May 16, (Time TBD) at T-Mobile Arena (TNT)
* If necessary
Best bets for Game 2 Edmonton Oilers vs. Vegas Golden Knights
If the first games of this series is an indicator, the 2023 NHL playoff matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights is going to be a high-scoring affair. The best bet for Game 3 is for the Oilers to continue to make their opponents pay on the power play. With the way Draisaitl is playing, pick the Oilers to beat the Golden Knights in Game 3.
Pick: Edmonton Oilers to beat Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of the Western Conference Playoffs.
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