NHL Playoffs Game Odds: Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers, Game 4 Semifinals

The Vegas Golden Knights lead their Western Conference semifinal series with the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 but may have to make a goaltending change for Game 4 in Edmonton on Wednesday. The Oilers are sizable favorites on the NHL odds.

Golden Knights vs. Oilers, Game 4 | 2023 NHL Expert Analysis

How to Bet Vegas at Edmonton NHL Hockey Odds & TV Info

When: Wednesday, 10 PM ET
Where: Rogers Place
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: Tunein.com
Opening NHL Lines: Oilers -180, Knights +170 (total 7)

Why Bet on Vegas?

The Knights took a 2-1 lead with an impressive 5-1 road win in Game 3 on Monday night despite losing starting netminder Laurent Brossoit to injury. The 30-year-old goalie sustained the injury while attempting to make a save at 11:44 of the first. After making an initial stop on Connor McDavid, Brossoit pushed across his crease to his right and immediately went down. As he was being helped up and off the ice with the score tied 1-1, Brossoit was unable to put any weight on his left leg. He is 5-2 in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 3.18 goals-against average and .894 save percentage.

In his most extensive action in more than two months, Adin Hill stopped all 24 shots he saw in relief of Brossoit. Hill hadn’t played since March 7 and became the fifth NHL goaltender on record to earn his first career playoff win in relief while logging at least 45 minutes of ice-time and allowing zero goals against. He joined Elvis Merzlikins (Game 3 of 2020 SCQ), Scott Darling (Game 1 of 2015 R1), Scott Clemmensen (Game 3 of 2012 CQF) and Ed Belfour (Game 2 of 1990 DSF).

Hill made six of his saves on shots by Leon Draisaitl (13-4—17 in 9 GP) and Connor McDavid (5-10—15 in 9 GP), who entered Game 3 with a combined 18 goals and 32 points this postseason. Hill and Laurent Brossoit became the fourth and fifth goaltenders to hold both Draisaitl and McDavid off the score sheet this season, following Jordan Binnington (Oct. 22, 2022), Cal Petersen (Nov. 16, 2022) and Ilya Sorokin (Nov. 23, 2022).

It was Hill’s second straight relief appearance, and he earned the win this time. The Oilers haven’t scored on him in 29 shots this series. In the likely event Brossoit can’t play in Wednesday’s Game 4, it appears Hill would get the nod with Jonathan Quick serving as the backup.

Jonathan Marchessault scored twice on six shots and went plus-3 in Monday’s win Marchessault hadn’t scored in his last eight games, and he’d gone three contests without a point. His pair of tallies came on assists from Jack Eichel in the first period. Marchessault is up to four points, 29 shots, 26 hits and a plus-6 rating through eight playoff outings. It was his fifth career multi-goal game with Vegas in the postseason, surpassing Mark Stone (4) for sole possession of the most in franchise history.

Eichel scored a goal on three shots and had two assists with a plus-3 rating. It was Eichel’s third multi-point effort of the playoffs, and he’s up to five goals and five assists through eight appearances. Only five other active skaters recorded their first 10 career playoff points in fewer games: Nathan MacKinnon (5 GP), Tyler Bertuzzi (7 GP), Jake Guentzel (7 GP), Evgeni Malkin (7 GP) and Eric Staal (7 GP).

Bet Golden Knights to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Why Bet on Edmonton?

Monday was the 9th time that Oilers Connor McDavid & Leon Draisaitl have both been held without a point in the playoffs in their career. The Oilers are 2-7 in those 9 games. Draisaitl still leads the NHL with 13 goals and 17 points in these playoffs. His five-goal streak had been a playoff career high. McDavid’s streak of six straight games with multiple points also obviously ended.

“I just think we didn’t defend to the standard that I think we hold ourselves to at this point this time of year,” defenseman Darnell Nurse said. “It’s hard to win hockey games, and it’s hard to win hockey games if you’re not doing the right things in the hard area. So we’ll watch it tomorrow and get back on the right foot.”

Warren Foegele scored the lone goal Monday. Foegele got a slight deflection on a centering pass from Derek Ryan early in the first period. The tally was Foegele’s second point in nine playoff contests, and his first point in the second round. It was Edmonton’s seventh game-opening goal of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, second behind Seattle.

After scoring five power play goals on nine chances in the first two games, the Oilers couldn’t get a call on home ice and were left to try and settle things at five-on-five. Edmonton had a grand total of 47 seconds worth of power play time through 55 minutes. The Golden Knights have outscored the Oilers even-strength 10-4 through Games 1-3, even if Oiler forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins says “we’re confident in our five-on-five game.”

Stuart Skinner stopped 19 of 23 shots Monday before Jack Campbell replaced him just over halfway into the second period. This poor outing came on the heels of Skinner’s best playoff performance so far, a 30-save effort in a Game 2 win. The 24-year-old has given up at least four goals in three of his last four contests. Campbell stopped nine of 10 shots in relief Monday. Not out of the question he could start Wednesday.

Bet Oilers to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Game Trends

Golden Knights are 4-0 in their last 4 road games.
Golden Knights are 6-1 in their last 7 vs. Western Conference.
Golden Knights are 4-1 in their last 5 games following a win.
Oilers are 5-1 in their last 6 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.
Oilers are 16-5 in their last 21 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Road team is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.