The Los Angeles Kings will visit the Edmonton Oilers Monday evening, with puck drop set for 10 p.m. ET on NHL Network, in what will be a preview of a first-round series in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kings currently hold home ice but that could all change with Monday's result as only two points separate Los Angeles and Edmonton. These teams have met in the first round of the last three postseasons, with Edmonton winning each series. The Oilers eliminated the Kings in five games last postseason.
L.A. has one of the most balanced scoring lineups in the league, with seven skaters scoring 18 or more goals this season. The Oilers, runners-up in last year's Stanley Cup final, are hoping to make it back to the final stage. Edmonton will potentially be without the NHL's leading scorer Leon Draisaitl, who is considered questionable with an undisclosed injury. Connor McDavid will be the focal point for Edmonton's attack Monday.
The Oilers are slight favorites on the money line, priced at -111 (risk $111 to win $100) in the latest SportsLine consensus odds. The Kings are -109 underdogs (risk $109 to win $100) on the money line, while the total comes in at 5.5.
Adrian Kempe is priced at -150 on BetMGM to go Over 0.5 points for the Kings, followed by Kevin Fiala (-135), Anze Kopitar (-120) and Quinton Byfield (-110). McDavid is priced at +100 to go Over 1.5 total points for Edmonton. Evan Bouchard is -190 to go Over 0.5 points.
This is the third and final meeting between the Kings and Oilers this season, with Los Angeles winning both previous matchups and holding the head-to-head advantage regardless of Monday's result. The Oilers would need to win both of their remaining games in regulation and hope Los Angeles doesn't get more than two points from its last two games after Monday for Edmonton to get home ice.
Here's a look at how SportsLine's model sees this contest playing out.
LOS ANGELES KINGS at EDMONTON OILERS | 4/14 | 10 p.m. ET
Money line
Pick: Oilers -111
Edmonton wins in 68% of simulations, bringing value at these odds
Puck line
Pick: Oilers -1.5 (+224)
Edmonton covers in 41% of simulations, bringing value at these odds
Over/Under
Pick: Over 5.5
The Over hits in 57% of simulations
Projected score: Oilers 3.6, Kings 2.6