Edmonton Vs Calgary Flames- Game 1 Pre-Game

The Edmonton Oilers open the second round tonight in a Battle Of Alberta as they are in Calgary taking on the Calgary Flames.

After taking down the Los Angeles Kings in 7 games the Edmonton Oilers open the second round tonight against the Calgary Flames. This is the first time in 31 years that these two teams will face each other in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Calgary Flames also went the distance in the first round. They were pushed all the way into overtime vs the Dallas Stars. The Flames were the better team in the series, but Dallas’ goalie Jake Oettinger played lights out and kept Dallas in the series.

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com:
Generated 5/18/2022.

I think this will be a hard fought close series. In the regular season the Calgary only had 1 more win than the Edmonton Oilers. The 7 point differential came mostly in overtime losses. The Oilers had 6 while the Flames had 11. So the point differential is a bit misleading.

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com:
Generated 5/18/2022.

The advance stats favor the Calgary Flames in almost every category. The one area that could be a a positive for the Oilers is that there expected goals for is higher than actual goals for. The Oilers expected goals for Edmonton is 11 goals higher than their actual goals for. Also both teams have positive shot metrics. So these teams will strive to maintain possession.

I think the team that will win the possession battle will end up winning the game. In the last series in the last couple games the Edmonton Oilers cycle was working well against the Kings. The defense of the Flames is better than the Kings, so hopefully it still works as good this round.

Difference Maker

The Flames may have had a better regulars season, but when it has come to the playoffs they stumbled their way through the first round against a weaker Dallas team. This Oilers also went to game 7, but the gap between the Kings and Oilers was much closer than the gap between the Stars and Flames.

In game 6 and 7 in the LA Kings series, we got to see Connor McDavid at his best. He took control of each game and seemed almost unstoppable. I see no reason why this shouldn’t be the case in this series. There may be a slightly better defensive core on the Flames, but not enough of an increase to make a difference.

Here is some McDavid highlights to get you in the mood:

The Series

This series will be as much a psychological battle as it will be a battle on the ice. With the Flames being the favorites the Oilers can run with the underdog mentality. That mentality is usually a good thing. It takes away the extra pressure that the expectations carry. In the past the Flames have struggled with expectations and it showed with the struggles in the first round.

The biggest question mark in this series is Leon Draisaitl’s health. If his injury gets worse and his game takes a sharp decline, I don’t think the Oilers stand a chance. If he stays the same or gets better then I still like the Oilers to have a chance (I’m picking Oilers in 6). Having the 2 best players in the series is why you can never count the Edmonton Oilers out of a series.

Projected Edmonton Oilers Lines

Projected Calgary Flames Lines

Playoff Round 2-Game #1

Date: 5/18/2022

Opponent: Calgary Flames

Location: Scotiabank Saddledome

Time: 7:30 PM

Live Stream: FuboTV

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Betting Odds: WynnBET

The Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames betting odds on WynnBET have Oilers as +1.5 point underdogs tonight, while the Flames are the favorites at -1.5. Calgary is also favored with a Moneyline odd of -160 on the night while the Oilers are sitting at +140. Tonight’s game is expected to be high-scoring with an over/under of 6.0 goals on the night.