Kings vs Oilers Picks and Prediction – 5/2/2025

The Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers meet Thursday night in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series at Rogers Place. Edmonton leads the series 3-2 after winning Game 5 by a 3-1 score on the road. The Kings are 48-25-9 on the season, while the Oilers are 48-29-5 and solid at home with a 25-13-3 record. Hit the ice running with our NHL picks.

Los Angeles is hanging on by a thread after losing three straight to Edmonton. They were outscored 14-8 over that stretch, including a rough 7-4 beatdown in Game 3. The offense has cooled, and the Kings are now one loss away from elimination. However, they’ve proven they can strike, putting up six goals in both Game 1 and Game 2 wins.

Defensively, the Kings are still tough. They allow just 2.48 goals per game, fourth best in the NHL, and only give up 25.5 shots per game. Goaltender Darcy Kuemper has been rock solid with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. Offensively, Adrian Kempe leads with 35 goals and 73 points, while Anze Kopitar has 46 assists. The Kings struggle on special teams, sitting at just 17.9% on the power play, but have a strong 81.4% penalty kill. Los Angeles will be without winger Tanner Jeannot for this one.

Edmonton comes in hot, winning three straight and pushing the Kings to the brink. Calvin Pickard made 21 saves in Game 5 to steal one in LA. The Oilers scored 7 goals in Game 3 and are starting to show their high-octane potential. Connor McDavid hasn’t even been at full tilt, and yet Edmonton leads the series.

The Oilers score 3.16 goals per game and fire 32 shots on net per night. Leon Draisaitl leads the way with 52 goals and 106 points, while McDavid has 74 assists and 97 points. The power play sits at 23.7%, and they’ve only allowed 27 shots per game. Goalie Calvin Pickard has been quietly solid with a 2.71 GAA and .900 save percentage. Edmonton will be without defenseman Mattias Ekholm.

This feels like the one to steal for the Kings. Los Angeles is the better defensive team, has the more consistent goaltender in Darcy Kuemper, and has proven they can score in bunches. With the Oilers struggling on the penalty kill at just 78.2%, this is a prime bounce-back spot for a desperate Kings team. Final Score Prediction: Los Angeles Kings win 4-3.