Oilers vs Golden Knights Picks and Prediction – 5/9/2025

Edmonton took control of the series early, winning Game 1 on the road with a 4-2 victory against the Golden Knights. The Oilers were 48-29-5 during the regular season and 23-16-2 away from home. Vegas was 50-22-10 but still boasts one of the best home records in the league at 29-9-3. Game 2 goes down Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena with puck drop set for 7:30 PM ET. Hit the ice running with our NHL picks.

Edmonton enters Game 2 with momentum after ripping off five straight wins, including four against the Kings and now Game 1 against Vegas. Leon Draisaitl continues to dominate with 106 points on the year, including 52 goals. Connor McDavid remains the assist king with 74. Offensively, the Oilers average 3.16 goals per game, fueled by a 23.7% power play unit that ranks among the league’s best.

Defensively, Edmonton has kept teams to 2.87 goals per game and limits shots against to just 27.0 per contest. Stuart Skinner has been decent with a 2.81 GAA and .896 save percentage, but Calvin Pickard has taken over the top spot in goal and will start for the fifth straight game. The penalty kill sits at 78.2%, and the Oilers have 607 penalty minutes on the year, which is something to watch in a tight series. Mattias Ekholm remains out, which hurts the blue line depth.

Vegas will look to bounce back after the Game 1 home loss, where they failed to capitalize on key chances. Jack Eichel is leading the way with 94 points, including 66 assists, while Pavel Dorofeyev has tallied 35 goals. The Golden Knights scored 3.34 goals per game during the regular season, and the 28.3% power play clip was lethal, especially at home, where they’ve dominated all year.

On defense, the Golden Knights allowed just 2.61 goals per game and gave up only 26.1 shots on average. Goalie Adin Hill has been solid with a 2.47 GAA and .906 save percentage, and with no injuries reported, Vegas will be at full strength in front of its home fans. The penalty kill is weaker at 75.7%, which could be a concern facing Edmonton’s elite power play.

The Oilers are red-hot with five straight wins and took Game 1 with confidence on the road. Draisaitl and McDavid are simply too much to handle, especially if the Vegas penalty kill continues to underperform. While Vegas is tough at home, the momentum and special teams edge lean toward Edmonton. Final Score Prediction: Edmonton Oilers win 4-3.