Jun 2, 2022, 10:55 am ET in NHL
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Expert Top Pick of the Day: Edmonton Oilers at Colorado Avalanche

Expert Top Pick of the Day: Edmonton Oilers at Colorado Avalanche

The Edmonton Oilers put up a fight in game one of the Western Conference Finals but were still unable to prevent a loss. On Tuesday night, the Oilers were defeated 8-6 by the Colorado Avalanche as the Oilers couldn’t keep up with the home team’s pace. 

As Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals approaches, the Oilers are hoping to deliver a solid performance tonight that will allow them to keep the Avalanche close. 

The Avalanche are still on top as the number-one seed in the Western Conference. They were able to drop the St. Louis Blues in the conference semifinals with a 4-2 series win. 

With an early lead and another home game tonight, the Avalanche are in the perfect position to make the most of their top lineup and build a gap between them and the Oilers that could become decisive later in the series.  

Edmonton Oilers vs. Colorado Avalanche Schedule

  • Date: Thursday, June 2, 2022
  • Time: 06:00 PM MDT
  • Location: Ball Arena, Denver, CO

McDavid’s Oilers Seek a Quick Recovery 

The Oilers are still in the fight. They were able to keep up with the Avalanche through half of the second period. But, by the end, the Avalanche were up 7-4, and the Oilers had an uphill climb. 

Still, the Oilers managed to open the third period with two goals to get to within one at 7-6, but the Avalanche responded with a goal in the last minute to finish with a two-goal lead. 

For the Oilers, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl remain the top men on offense. McDavid is leading Edmonton with 79 assists and 44 goals for 123 points. Draisaitl has now reached the 55-goal mark.  

Rantanen’s Avalanche to Widen Their Lead

The Avalanche are now in the perfect spot to widen the gap between them and the Oilers before they play in Edmonton. For Colorado, that might be ideal to remain consistent throughout the rest of the series. 

Nikko Ramanan and Nazem Kadri remain the top men for the Avalanche on the ice. Rantanen is now leading Colorado with 36 goals and 56 assists for 92 points. Kadric has also been able to add 59 assists. 

For the Avalanche, leading as the top seed is helpful. Still, if the Oilers proved something last night, the gap between them and the Avalanche is not significant. That is why every home game counts for Colorado. 

Edmonton Oilers vs. Colorado Avalanche Odds Comparison

The Oilers will look for a win to tie the series against the Avalanche. For the Oilers, the total has gone over in five of their last six games. As for the Avalanche, the total has gone over in four of their previous five games. 

  • DraftKings has the Avalanche at -170, and the game total is 7. 
  • FanDuel has the Avalanche at -176, and the total is 7.5. 
  • Caesars has the Avalanche at -175, and the total is 7.

Godds Pick or Prediction of the Game

The Oilers will head to Colorado again with a 49-27-6 season record and a 21-15-5 road mark. While this implies that Edmonton has been capable of pulling solid results in their last series, they still need to strengthen their consistency. 

That drive for tangible results almost allowed them to tie the game last night, yet the Oilers still fell short. As a result, the Avalanche should be able to take advantage of their second home game to build a substantial lead that might become vital later in the series.  
Godds Pick/Prediction: The Avalanche to win and the over hits.