After dropping two games at home, the Vegas Golden Knights are on thin ice to save their season and the pressure is on Jack Eichel to put the team on his back to avoid the Edmonton Oilers taking a commanding 3-0 series lead.
NHL
The Edmonton Oilers will look to take a dominant 3-0 series lead over the Vegas Golden Knights as the action shifts to Rogers Place for Game 3.
Vegas nearly completed the late comeback in Game 2 but if the visitors are going to finally chalk up a win, they’ll need a superstar performance from Jack Eichel.
I’ll explain why I think Eichel and the Golden Knights can deliver in my Golden Knights vs. Oilers predictions and NHL picks for Saturday, May 10.
The Vegas Golden Knights skated to an early lead for the second straight contest, fell behind after three quick goals from the Edmonton Oilers, tied it up late, and ultimately lost in overtime as Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid did their thing.
Edmonton has recorded six straight comeback wins in these playoffs but at some point, something’s got to give. Vegas has opened the scoring in six of its eight games this postseason while Edmonton has done so just once in eight tries.
The Golden Knights also owned the NHL’s fifth-best points percentage on the road during the regular season (.598), so I’m not too worried about their ability to get it done in Edmonton.
Make no mistake – this is a must-win game for the Golden Knights. But if they can get ahead early just like they did in Game 1 and 2, they should have the urgency and experience to hold on for the win.
My Golden Knights vs Oilers pick: Jack Eichel Over 1.5 points (+185 at BET99)
The Vegas Golden Knights don’t necessarily have the star power to keep up with the Edmonton Oilers’ one-two punch of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but Jack Eichel certainly isn’t too far behind.
After all, the Golden Knights star was selected just one pick after McDavid in the 2015 NHL Draft.
And while the Oilers hold the 2-0 series lead, Eichel has actually had the upper hand over both McDavid and Draisaitl on the score sheet. As of Friday morning, Eichel’s four points in two games were tied for the league lead in scoring during the second round following his three-assist performance in Game 2.
The American was held off the score sheet in his first three games of the postseason but has since recorded a point in five straight contests and multiple points in three of his last four.
With the Golden Knights trailing their first round series against the Minnesota Wild, Eichel put up two points in Game 5 and 6 to help them clinch the win. Vegas finds itself in a similar scenario against Edmonton and Eichel will need to come up clutch again in order to keep his team in it.
This Golden Knights team is not too different from the squad that hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2023 so I fully expect Eichel and Co. to bounce back in this must-win contest.
Golden Knights moneyline
Jack Eichel Over 1.5 points
Mark Stone Over 0.5 points
If the Golden Knights are going to get back in this series, it’ll likely take another excellent effort from the team’s top line of Eichel, Mark Stone, and Ivan Barbashev.
That trio had plenty of success in Game 2 despite the loss, combining for five points and eight shots on net.
Stone has hit the score sheet in five consecutive games and has actually recorded multiple points in three straight, so I expect Eichel and the captain to combine for a few goals again in Game 3.
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The Under is 5-2-1 in the last eight meetings. Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Oilers.
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After writing a few pieces for the Varsity newspaper during his time at the University of Toronto, Chris Faria’s career in sports truly began in 2019 when he attended the sports journalism program at Centennial College. Since then, he’s covered virtually every sport under the sun, having written for several different outlets including Covers and the Canadian Olympic Committee. A lifelong hockey fan and player, Chris currently works full-time for the National Hockey League.
Outside of hockey, he’s also an avid poker player and mixed martial arts fan, which is coincidentally his favorite sport to bet on – usually in the form of a parlay on bet365. The main lesson he’s learned from years of betting is bankroll management: “Never bet more than you’re comfortable losing and never chase your losses.”
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