<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he breaks down and handicaps Saturday’s <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/realistic-predictions-for-all-eight-pacific-division-teams-christmas-break-check-in">Pacific Division</a> matchup between the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/edmonton-oilers/line-combinations">Edmonton Oilers</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/los-angeles-kings/line-combinations">Los Angeles Kings</a>.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oilers vs. Kings Odds</span></h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Edmonton Oilers Moneyline: -135</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Los Angeles Kings Moneyline: +115</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Puck Line: Oilers -1.5 (+185), Kings +1.5 (-190)</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game Total: 6 (Over -120, Under +100)</span></li>
</ul>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game odds courtesy of Sports Interaction.</span></i></p>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Handicapping the Oilers (21-13 SU, 13-21 ATS, 14-19-1 O/U)</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Edmonton comes out of the </span><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/random-thoughts-getting-back-to-work-after-christmas-oilers-hanging-out-in-edmonton-and-alex-ovechkin-chasing-wayne-gretzky"><span style="font-weight: 400;">break</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on a hot streak, winning eight of its last 10 games, including three straight. The Oilers earned come-from-behind overtime wins against the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks before cruising past the Ottawa Senators ahead of their five-day break. Edmonton will play nine of its next 12 games on the road, including back-to-back afternoon games in Los Angeles and Anaheim this weekend.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saturday’s game is the first matchup between the Oilers and Kings since Edmonton eliminated Los Angeles in five games during the first round of last season’s playoffs—their third straight series win over the Kings. Edmonton is 8-4 straight up against Los Angeles in 12 regular-season meetings since the start of the 2021-22 season, winning eight of the last 10 matchups and four of the last five in Los Angeles.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is expected to return to the lineup after missing one game, resuming his usual spot alongside Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman on the top forward line. Viktor Arvidsson, who took advantage of his opportunity on the top line, will shift back to the second line with Leon Draisaitl. Kasperi Kapanen will skate on the third line with Adam Henrique and Connor Brown. Derek Ryan will be a healthy scratch, while Mattias Janmark is set to center the fourth line. Meanwhile, Stuart Skinner will start for the Oilers. Skinner is 5-2 straight up against Los Angeles in the regular season and 12-5 including playoffs.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Handicapping the Kings (19-15 SU, 17-17 ATS, 11-20-3 O/U)</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It took Los Angeles nearly two months to secure its first three-game win streak, but exactly two months to string together five wins in a row. However, just as the Kings started building momentum, they had to embark on a seven-game road trip, where they went 3-4 straight up. They did manage to earn at least a point in five of those games, though, which keeps them just one point behind the Oilers. Forward Phillip Danault is expected to </span><a href="https://x.com/NHLRussell/status/1872715989911257239"><span style="font-weight: 400;">return</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to the Kings’ lineup after missing one game.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Los Angeles ranks first in five-on-five expected goals percentage, second in shot attempt percentage, and first in goal share. Only five teams have scored more five-on-five goals per 60 minutes, and only one team has allowed fewer goals per 60. Los Angeles also ranks first in expected goals against per 60 minutes, which is why they’ve been able to get by with mediocre goaltending. Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich rank 33rd and 62nd in goals saved above expected, respectively, according to Evolving Hockey.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Kings’ penalty kill ranks 11th in the league, however, their power play has struggled big time. Los Angeles has gone 14-for-88 (15.91 percent) with the man advantage, which is among the seven-worst in the NHL. The Kings scored just one power play goal on their seven-game road trip. That said, while they have converted on just 10.9 percent of their power play opportunities on the road, they have the ninth-best power play percentage (24.2) on home ice this season.</span></p>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Best Bet for Oilers vs. Kings</span></h2>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zach Hyman Anytime Goal (+200) at Sports Interaction</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Given how dominant the Oilers have been against the Kings in recent seasons, it’s surprising that Zach Hyman hasn’t had much success against them. Hyman has only three goals and two assists in 12 regular-season games against Los Angeles as an Oiler. Still, with Hyman’s current form and favorable odds, this is a solid bet. Sports Interaction offers the best odds at +200 for Hyman to score an anytime goal, while most sportsbooks list this prop at +160 or worse. Hyman has nine goals in 10 games since returning, which is a stronger indicator than his past struggles against the Kings. With McDavid likely looking to <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/former-oilers-forward-sam-gagner-named-captain-for-canada-at-the-spengler-cup">set the tone</a> after the break, Hyman will benefit.</span></p>


<span style="font-weight: 400;">Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he breaks down and handicaps Saturday’s <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/realistic-predictions-for-all-eight-pacific-division-teams-christmas-break-check-in">Pacific Division</a> matchup between the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/edmonton-oilers/line-combinations">Edmonton Oilers</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/los-angeles-kings/line-combinations">Los Angeles Kings</a>.</span>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oilers vs. Kings Odds</span></h2>
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Edmonton Oilers Moneyline: -135</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Los Angeles Kings Moneyline: +115</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Puck Line: Oilers -1.5 (+185), Kings +1.5 (-190)</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game Total: 6 (Over -120, Under +100)</span></li>
</ul>
<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game odds courtesy of Sports Interaction.</span></i>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Handicapping the Oilers (21-13 SU, 13-21 ATS, 14-19-1 O/U)</span></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Edmonton comes out of the </span><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/random-thoughts-getting-back-to-work-after-christmas-oilers-hanging-out-in-edmonton-and-alex-ovechkin-chasing-wayne-gretzky"><span style="font-weight: 400;">break</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on a hot streak, winning eight of its last 10 games, including three straight. The Oilers earned come-from-behind overtime wins against the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks before cruising past the Ottawa Senators ahead of their five-day break. Edmonton will play nine of its next 12 games on the road, including back-to-back afternoon games in Los Angeles and Anaheim this weekend.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Saturday’s game is the first matchup between the Oilers and Kings since Edmonton eliminated Los Angeles in five games during the first round of last season’s playoffs—their third straight series win over the Kings. Edmonton is 8-4 straight up against Los Angeles in 12 regular-season meetings since the start of the 2021-22 season, winning eight of the last 10 matchups and four of the last five in Los Angeles.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is expected to return to the lineup after missing one game, resuming his usual spot alongside Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman on the top forward line. Viktor Arvidsson, who took advantage of his opportunity on the top line, will shift back to the second line with Leon Draisaitl. Kasperi Kapanen will skate on the third line with Adam Henrique and Connor Brown. Derek Ryan will be a healthy scratch, while Mattias Janmark is set to center the fourth line. Meanwhile, Stuart Skinner will start for the Oilers. Skinner is 5-2 straight up against Los Angeles in the regular season and 12-5 including playoffs.</span>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Handicapping the Kings (19-15 SU, 17-17 ATS, 11-20-3 O/U)</span></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">It took Los Angeles nearly two months to secure its first three-game win streak, but exactly two months to string together five wins in a row. However, just as the Kings started building momentum, they had to embark on a seven-game road trip, where they went 3-4 straight up. They did manage to earn at least a point in five of those games, though, which keeps them just one point behind the Oilers. Forward Phillip Danault is expected to </span><a href="https://x.com/NHLRussell/status/1872715989911257239"><span style="font-weight: 400;">return</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to the Kings’ lineup after missing one game.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Los Angeles ranks first in five-on-five expected goals percentage, second in shot attempt percentage, and first in goal share. Only five teams have scored more five-on-five goals per 60 minutes, and only one team has allowed fewer goals per 60. Los Angeles also ranks first in expected goals against per 60 minutes, which is why they’ve been able to get by with mediocre goaltending. Darcy Kuemper and David Rittich rank 33rd and 62nd in goals saved above expected, respectively, according to Evolving Hockey.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The Kings’ penalty kill ranks 11th in the league, however, their power play has struggled big time. Los Angeles has gone 14-for-88 (15.91 percent) with the man advantage, which is among the seven-worst in the NHL. The Kings scored just one power play goal on their seven-game road trip. That said, while they have converted on just 10.9 percent of their power play opportunities on the road, they have the ninth-best power play percentage (24.2) on home ice this season.</span>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Best Bet for Oilers vs. Kings</span></h2>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zach Hyman Anytime Goal (+200) at Sports Interaction</span></h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Given how dominant the Oilers have been against the Kings in recent seasons, it’s surprising that Zach Hyman hasn’t had much success against them. Hyman has only three goals and two assists in 12 regular-season games against Los Angeles as an Oiler. Still, with Hyman’s current form and favorable odds, this is a solid bet. Sports Interaction offers the best odds at +200 for Hyman to score an anytime goal, while most sportsbooks list this prop at +160 or worse. Hyman has nine goals in 10 games since returning, which is a stronger indicator than his past struggles against the Kings. With McDavid likely looking to <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/former-oilers-forward-sam-gagner-named-captain-for-canada-at-the-spengler-cup">set the tone</a> after the break, Hyman will benefit.</span>

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