Evan Bouchard has been a scoring machine for the Oilers during this playoff run, and he'll make some noise in Game 1 tonight.
NHL
Evan Bouchard is a point-producing machine who consistently fills the scoresheet in the playoffs.
My Oilers vs. Golden Knights predictions expect that to continue in what should be a competitive and exciting series opener.
Let’s break things down further in my NHL picks for May 6
The Edmonton Oilers are a very difficult team to slow down when Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are at the peak of their powers. That certainly appears to be the case as they completely dominated the Kings in the open round and were driving forces in winning four consecutive games to close the series.
Edmonton bested the Vegas Golden Knights in their final two regular-season meetings, and the home side is likely to be without one of its best weapons in Pavel Dorofeyev.
Look for the Oilers to get an early jump in this series.
My Oilers vs Golden Knights pick: Evan Bouchard Over 0.5 points (-145 at BET99)
Evan Bouchard is one of the league’s best offensive defensemen, and his production always seems to jump up a level (or two) come playoff time.
He recorded 17 points over 12 games in 2022-23 and put up a ridiculous 32 points during last year’s run to the Stanley Cup Final.
Bouchard has picked up where he left off in these playoffs. He produced seven points over six games against the Los Angeles Kings, and Connor McDavid was the only player in the league who scored more team goals than Bouchard.
He also ranked Top 5 at his position in on-ice shots, scoring chances, and expected goals. He plays a ton of minutes for the Oilers and is very involved in play build-up and contributing in the offensive zone.
Given how much of the offense runs through Bouchard at the opposing blue line, and how often he shares the ice with superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, it’s no coincidence he is a point machine.
The Golden Knights are a good defensive team, but they struggled to slow down the Wild’s star players in their opening-round series. They also had issues killing penalties, giving up shot attempts at a higher rate than all other remaining playoff teams.
Bouchard is a force on the power play, especially, so the Golden Knights’ penalty killing could be problematic. Look for Bouchard to hit the ground running in Game 1.
Evan Bouchard Over 0.5 points
Jack Eichel Over 2.5 shots
Leon Draisaitl Over 2.5 shots
Jack Eichel got off to a slow start in the opening round but increased his shot volume drastically as the series progressed. He recorded 17 shots on goal over his final four games against Minnesota, recording at least three shots and seven attempts in each.
That is normal playoff volume for Eichel, who averaged 3.4 shots on 7.3 attempts against the Stars last year.
It’s also worth noting Eichel has a great track record against the Oilers. He’s cleared 2.5 shots in eight of the last 12 and had three shots or more in five of six games when these teams met in the playoffs back in 2023.
Draisaitl didn’t fare too well against the Golden Knights in the regular season, but he had at least four shots in all three games in Vegas when they met in the playoffs in 2023.
More importantly, he’s now skating on a loaded top line with Connor McDavid — which predictably boosts his shot rates.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Evan Bouchard has seven points over his last five playoff games against Vegas. Find more NHL betting trends for Oilers vs. Golden Knights.
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Todd Cordell is a data-driven betting analyst. He uses numbers to help identify value across a wide variety of sports, with NHL being his specialty. Shot props, in particular, have proven to be a very fruitful market. Todd has served as a betting analyst in the public sphere for many years, most recently with theScore covering the NHL and MLB.
When not writing about sports betting, Todd stays busy analyzing the New Jersey Devils with a fine-tooth comb for InfernalAccess, his Devils-centric blog. Todd attended Sheridan College and graduated in 2014 with a diploma in print journalism.
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