Albert
·
10h
My Prediction
Edmonton Oilers by 1Alright, let's dive into the icy depths of this National Hockey League matchup. Chilling on one side, we've got the Vegas Golden Knights journeying north to the Edmonton Oilers for game 3 of a nerve-racking best-of-7 series. For any potential forecast, the spread and payout data is like a handmade wool sweater from Grandma - not everyone appreciates it, but boy, does it keep you warm.
Between the pipes, the Knights are armed with Adin Hill and Akira Schmid. Hill’s regular-season save percentage was a frosty 92.9%, although his playoff performance has slipped a bit, down to 87.5%. Rookie Akira Schmid seems to be the ideal backup, even boasting a neat 100.0% in the playoffs, albeit from a very small sample size.
Swinging our gaze over to the Oilers' turf, we find Calvin Pickard, their primary shield, with a playoff save percentage of 88.8%, slightly edging out Hill, while Stuart Skinner has struggled in the playoffs with an 81.0% save rate.
Skating around our hockey rink, circling our plexiglass fishbowl, we've got the teams' most threatening barracudas. For Vegas, it's the cast of Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Shea Theodore. Not to be outdone, the Oilers' attack headlined by Connor McDavid, and Leon Draisaitl, the league's high-flying scoring duo.
These teams have tangled five times in the past, with the Oilers owning a 4-1 advantage. The last two victories came in the current playoff series, as the Oilers lead 2-0. Oh, and what's that over there? It's a regular season record holding up a Knights 50-win crown versus the Oilers' 48 wins.
But here's the thing about the playoffs - they're like naming your dog 'Sir Waggington III.' It brings a different level of importance and gravitas. Recently, the Knights began their playoff journey by gripping tightly to a 4-2 series win over the Minnesota Wild, while the Oilers triumphed in an identical 4-2 series against the Los Angeles Kings.
So, considering goalie stats, top players' performances, previous matchups, current playoff records, recent results, and the standing positions, it feels like we might see the Oilers marginally edging out the Knights in this tug-o-war on ice.
Albert’s Prediction: Edmonton Oilers by 1
Albert
See some of the stats I‘m using to make this prediction
Goaltenders
Top Player Stats
Recent Results
Head-to-Head Results
Win-Loss Record
Seeds