Oilers vs Kings Picks and Prediction – 4/24/2025

The Kings took Game 1 in a 6-5 win and now look to go up 2-0 at home against the Oilers. Los Angeles is now 48-25-9 after the win and 31-6-4 on home ice, while Edmonton dropped to 48-29-5 and 23-16-2 on the road. These Pacific Division rivals are squaring off again Wednesday night at 8:00 PM ET in Los Angeles. Hit the ice running with our NHL picks.

Edmonton blew a 4-2 lead in the series opener, letting the game slip away in the third period and eventually falling 6-5. Leon Draisaitl led with a goal and two assists, continuing his monster season. Edmonton has now lost two straight to the Kings and hasn’t looked sharp defensively. This is a must-win to avoid heading home down 0-2.

Defensively, the Oilers have been leaking badly. They’ve allowed 11 goals in the last two matchups against Los Angeles. Goalie Stuart Skinner owns a 2.81 GAA and a .896 save percentage, which just hasn’t been good enough. Backup Calvin Pickard has been slightly better statistically with a 2.71 GAA and .900 SV%, but the Oilers still gave up 2.87 goals per game this year. Edmonton's power play clicks at 23.7%, one of the best in the league, but the penalty kill is average at 78.2%. They’re missing defensemen Mattias Ekholm and John Klingberg, which is hurting big time.

The Kings are riding high after rallying late and securing Game 1. Adrian Kempe continued his hot streak with two goals and an assist, and Los Angeles looked calm and in control under pressure. The Kings have now won four of the last five and are one of the toughest teams at home, with just six regulation losses in the building all season.

Defensively, the Kings have been more consistent and disciplined. They only allow 2.48 goals per game and have the better goalie tandem right now. Darcy Kuemper is locked in with a 2.02 GAA and an impressive .922 save percentage, giving L.A. a big edge in net. The penalty kill is strong at 81.4%, and though the power play sits at 17.9%, they’ve been getting scoring from all over the lineup. Tanner Jeannot is out, but this team is deep and healthy overall.

The Kings are just better right now. They’ve outscored Edmonton 11-5 in the last two matchups, and Kuemper gives them the edge in goal. Edmonton’s blue line is beat up, and the PK is shaky. Unless Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl can take over, Los Angeles has the upper hand again at home. Final Score Prediction: Los Angeles Kings win 4-2.