Edmonton Oilers at Calgary Flames - 5/18/22 NHL Picks and Prediction

Calgary Flames (54-24-11) vs Edmonton Oilers (53-29-7)

Game Info: Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 10:30 pm (Scotiabank Saddledome)

Betting Odds: Calgary Flames -172 / Edmonton Oilers +140 --- Over/Under: 6 Click Here for the Latest Odds

The Calgary Flames host the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday Night In Second Round NHL Playoff Action.

The Edmonton Oilers come into their series with Calgary having picked up a 2-0 win over Los Angeles to advance to the second round. During the regular season, the Oilers found the net 290 times, good for a rank of 7th among NHL teams. Heading into the game, Edmonton is the 16th-ranked defensive team, allowing opponents to score at an average rate of 3.06 goals per game. For the year, the Oilers have a strength of schedule rating of 17th in the league. When diving into their opponent-adjusted scoring margin, they come into this game as the 11th-ranked team in the NHL.

The Calgary Flames will host the Edmonton Oilers after taking down the Dallas Stars in a 4-3 overtime win. This victory allowed the Flames to advance in 7 games. During the regular season, the Flames have scored 293 goals, giving them an average of 3.55. This output gives them a rank of 6th among NHL teams. On defense, Calgary is the 3rd ranked unit, giving up 2.51 goals per contest. For the year, the Flames played the 27th toughest schedule in the league. And, when taking into account Calgary's scoring margin relative to the quality of their competition, they come in with a power ranking of 2nd in the NHL.

Through 82 games, the Edmonton Oilers' leading goal scorer is Leon Draisaitl. With his 55 assists, he is the second in overall points, coming in at 110. On the season, he is turning 19.8% of his shots into goals. In addition, the Oilers have benefited from the strong play of Connor McDavid, who is the team's overall leader in points. In Edmonton's 82 games, he has come up with 44 goals on a shooting percentage of 14.0%. While on the ice, his offensive production has led to a plus-minus rating of 28. Edmonton's top goalie is Mikko Koskinen, who is giving up an average of 3.1 goals per game.

Through 82 games, Calgary's leading goal scorer is Matthew Tkachuk. With his 42 goals and 62 assists, he is the second in overall points, coming in at 104. On the season, he is turning 16.6% of his shots into goals. In addition, the Flames have benefited from the strong play of Johnny Gaudreau, who is the team's overall leader in points. In Calgary's 82 games, he has come up with 40 goals on a shooting percentage of 15.3%. While on the ice, his offensive production has led to a plus minus rating of +64. Calgary's top goalie is Jacob Markstrom, who is giving up an average of 2.22 goals per game. In his 63 games played, he has turned in 38 quality starts, giving him a quality start percentage above the league average.

Heading into the game between Edmonton and Calgary, the over-under betting line is set at 6 goals. In their last series, the Oilers combined to go over 6 goals in 3 of their 7 games vs Los Angeles. On the other side, Calgary and Dallas were involved in a series dominated by defensive play, as not a single game reached 7 goals. During the regular season, the Flames were one of the best defensive teams in the league, as they excelled at limiting their opponent's scoring chances. In game 1, I recommend sticking with the trend and taking the under at 6 goals.