The Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche rank 1-2 in scoring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. So it’s a pretty good bet that the scoreboard operators will earn their paychecks during the Western Conference Finals, which start Tuesday in Denver. Certainly, the Game 1 total on the NHL playoff odds board reflects that presumption.
However, the surest bet heading into the best-of-7 Oilers-Avalanche series relates to history: One of these teams is guaranteed to end a very lengthy Stanley Cup Finals drought — and the other is going to break the hearts of their fan base once again.
If bookmakers are accurate with their Western Conference Finals forecast, Edmonton fans might want to find the favorite towel they use to wipe away tears.
Props.com dives into NHL Playoff odds for Oilers vs Avalanche ahead of Tuesday’s series opener.
NHL Playoff Odds
| Matchup | Moneyline | Puckline | Total | Series Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmonton Oilers | +155 | -150 (+1.5 goals) | 7 (Over +115) | +200 |
| Colorado Avalanche | -185 | +130 (-1.5 goals) | 7 (Under -135) | -250 |
Odds via DraftKings and updated as of 5 p.m. ET on May 31.
Edmonton Oilers vs Colorado Avalanche (8 p.m. ET/TNT)
Edmonton Playoff Results & Stats
8-4 overall (4-2 home/4-2 road)
Defeated L.A. Kings in Round 1 (4-3) and Calgary Flames in Round 2 (4-2)
Goals scored: 52 (4.33 per game, 1st)
Goals allowed: 37 (3.08 per game, 6th)
Power play: 11-for-39, 28.2% (5th)
Penalty kill: 35-for-41, 85.4% (6th)
Colorado Playoff Results & Stats
8-2 overall (3-2 home; 5-0 road)
Defeated Nashville Predators in Round 1 (4-0) and St. Louis Blues in Round 2 (4-2)
Goals scored: 43 (4.30 per game, 2nd)
Goals allowed 27 (2.70 per game, 4th)
Power play: 10-for-29, 34.5% (1st)
Penalty kill: 19-for-26, 73.1% (11th)
Regular season series: Colorado won, 2-1. The Avalanche took the first two meetings (3-2 in overtime at home, 2-1 in a shootout at Edmonton). The Oilers won the final matchup (6-3 at home).
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Slap Shots
Oilers: Lost Game 1 of the conference semifinals at Calgary (9-6), then won the next four games by a combined score of 19-11. Clinched the series with a 5-4 overtime victory at Calgary in Game 5. … 22-5-1 in their last 28 games (6-1 last seven). … Advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2006. Went on to lose the Stanley Cup Final to the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-3. … LW Evander Kane has a playoff-best 12 goals, three more than any other player. LW Zach Hyman (eight) and centers Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid (seven each) also rank in the top 10 in goals. … Draisaitl and McDavid are tied for the NHL playoff lead in both assists (19) and points (26). … Goaltender Mike Smith is tied for the league lead in postseason wins (eight). He has a 2.70 goals-against average and .927 save percentage.
Avalanche: Scored a goal with six seconds remaining in Game 6 of the conference semifinals to pull out a 3-2 series-clinching victory. … Outscoring opponents 17-14 at home and 26-13 on the road. … Advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2001-02, a year after winning the 2001 Stanley Cup. … Only team undefeated on the road in the playoffs. … Center Nathan MacKinnon is tied for third with eight postseason goals, while defenseman Cale Makar and RW Miko Rantanen are tied for 6th with 10 playoff assists each. MacKinnon and Makar also are tied for 9th in playoff points (13 each). … Goaltender Darcy Kuemper has a 2.44 GAA and .904 save percentage in the postseason.
Betting Nuggets
- EDM is 4-1 in its last five as an underdog (all on the road)
- EDM is 5-2 in its last seven vs Central Division teams
- COL is 55-13 in its last 68 home games (3-2 in playoffs)
- COL is 30-12 in its last 42 playoff games as a favorite (8-2 this year)
- Over is 4-1 in EDM’s last five overall
- Under is 3-1 in COL’s last four home games
- Home team is 5-1 and favorite is 6-0 in the last six Oilers-Avs clashes
- Over is 5-2-1 in the last eight series meetings in Denver
NHL Playoff Odds and Action
UPDATE 5 P.M. ET TUESDAY: With a little more than three hours to go before the puck drops in Game 1, Colorado is up to a -185 favorite at DraftKings, with Edmonton a +155 underdog. Those moneyline odds are up from DraftKings’ opening numbers of Avalanche -175/Oilers +150. Ticket count and money are equally running 3/1 on the Avalanche.
The puckline also has adjusted a smidge from the opening odds of Colorado (-1.5) +135/Edmonton (+1.5) -155 to the current price of Colorado +130/Edmonton -150. Action is split on the puckline at 53% wagers on the Oilers/72% cash on the Avalanche.
The total was initially set at 6.5 flat (-110) but has been holding at 7 for more than 24 hours, with heavy juice to the Under (-135). DraftKings bettors are banking on a high-scoring Game 1, as 59% of the tickets and 79% of the dollars are on the Over.
UPDATE 2 P.M. ET MONDAY: Colorado hit DraftKings’ NHL playoff odds board as a -175 home favorite in Game 1, with Edmonton catching +150 on the other side. Except for a big move to Colorado -210/Edmonton +170 for about 2.5 hours Sunday afternoon, the moneyline has stuck to the opening price.
The puckline opened and remains at Colorado (-1.5) +135/Edmonton (+1.5) -155. The total initially shifted from an opener of 6.5/Over -120 to 6.5 flat (-110) to 6.5/Over -125 before shooting up to 7/Under -135 on late Saturday afternoon. It’s now at 7/Under -130.
Check back prior to puck drop for additional NHL playoff odds and action updates for Game 1 of Oilers vs Avalanche.
