Anaheim Ducks vs Edmonton Oilers Betting Picks

Hold off writing Edmonton's obituary just yet. The Oilers stayed alive, beating the upstart Ducks 4-1 in Game 5 on Tuesday at home. The proud Oilers, who have made the Stanley Cup Finals in each of the past two years, came through with one of their finest games of the season. Connor McDavid gutted out an ankle injury to produce two assists. Connor Ingram, a controversial choice to start in goal, also came through for the Oilers with clutch, timely saves. This was the fewest goals the Oilers had allowed since closing the regular season when they gave up three goals in regulation during their final three games. Edmonton has played the most playoff games of any NHL team since 2022. Anaheim, by contrast, is in the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season. The pressure now reverts to the Ducks to close out the series at home. It is a pressure they are not used to. The Ducks are 3-6 in their last nine home games, and they've scored three or fewer goals in regulation during five of their last seven home contests. Take the Oilers to win, and bet the UNDER. 

The series heads back to Edmonton, but the way the Ducks are playing, it won't be a huge disadvantage. They already won Game 2 on the road before taking a commanding first-round lead with two more victories at home, including a 4-3 overtime win on Sunday night. The Ducks came from behind twice before Ryan Poehling scored on a sharp-angle shot 2:29 into the extra period to win it for Anaheim. The Oilers replaced Connor Ingram with Tristan Jarry, and it looked like a good move for most of the game, but Jarry ended up allowing the game-winner while stopping 34 of 38 shots in the game. Lukas Dostal had 24 saves for the Ducks, who have won six of the past nine meetings. The Oilers have lost five of seven overall and five in a row playing with one day of rest. Even with the loss, Jarry still was an improvement over Ingram, and Dostal has 107 saves in 122 shots in the series. It's another high posted total. Take the Ducks on the puckline, and play this game to stay UNDER. 

Edmonton could start Tristan Jarry in place of Connor Ingram, who has struggled mightily in the playoffs losing two of the first games and with a 4.70 goals-against average and an .849 save percentage so far. That move alone could be the spark the Oilers need to bounce back from losses in Games 2 and 3. Lukas Dostal hasn't exactly been standing on his head while winning the past two games and he has a 4.05 GAA and an .874 save percentage in the series. The high posted total in Game 4 is almost unheard of in a regular-season game let alone the playoffs and both teams are likely to make adjustments on the defensive side after Anaheim's 7-4 win on Friday night. The Oilers are in the more desperate situation and still are favored. Take the Oilers and the UNDER.

Edmonton has yet to play well in its Stanley Cup series against the Ducks. The Oilers are lucky to be tied 1-1 in the series. Special teams have hurt the Oilers. The Ducks have three power-play goals on five chances, and the Oilers are 0-for-6 on the power play and even gave up a short-handed goal. Superstar Connor McDavid has yet to produce a point. Expect a much sharper and more focused performance from the Oilers as the series shifts to Anaheim. Edmonton had the No. 1 power play during the regular season and gave up the ninth fewest shots on net. McDavid entered this series having scored 128 points in 75 playoff games during the previous four years. Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman both just returned from injuries. They should be more in sync now. Even with a 6-4 Game 2 upset road win this past Wednesday, the Ducks are only 3-9 in their last 12 games. Anaheim ranks 29th defensively. The Ducks have allowed four or more goals in 10 of their last 12 games, but will be more focused defensively at home. Edmonton has given up only three goals during its past two road games. Take the Oilers and the UNDER.

Anaheim nearly upset Edmonton in the first game of this series, carrying a 3-2 lead into the third, but the Oilers fought back. Kasperi Kapanen eventually scored his second of the game with 1:54 left in the third period to give the Oilers a 4-3 victory. Here is the thing about the Ducks. They are tremendously resilient. Their 26 comeback wins this season tied for the NHL lead with Montreal. The Ducks have won 17 games this season when down by a goal. If given 1.5 goals on the puckline, Anaheim would be riding a five-game winning streak. The pressure is on the Oilers. The Ducks are on house money, having made the playoffs for the first time since 2018. Edmonton has lost the second game of its first-round playoff series each of the past two seasons, getting outscored 11-6. The Oilers' 25th-ranked defense leaves them vulnerable to a Ducks offense that produced the third-most shots on net during the regular season. Take the Ducks on the puckline.