The Edmonton Oilers are in serious trouble.
Down 0-2 to the Los Angeles Kings in their first-round playoff series, they’re desperately hoping home ice can help turn things around in Friday’s crucial Game 3.
The Kings have dominated so far, squeaking out a 6-5 win in the opener before crushing the Oilers 6-2 on Wednesday.
There’s good news for Edmonton fans though – the team was pretty solid at home this season, going 25-13-3. The Kings? Not so hot on the road, with a weak 17-19-5 record.
The oddsmakers still believe in the Oilers, making them the favorites to win Game 3. But they’ll need their superstars to step up big time.
Connor McDavid, arguably the best hockey player on the planet, has managed four points in the series so far. He hit the 100-point mark for the eighth time this year, which is pretty incredible considering he missed 15 games.
His partner in crime, Leon Draisaitl, led the entire NHL with 52 goals despite sitting out 11 games. He’s contributed three points in the playoffs, including two goals.
But here’s where things get interesting.
The stats experts who run thousands of game simulations think both superstars might struggle to rack up points in Game 3. They’re predicting McDavid will get plenty of shots on goal – probably more than 3 – but won’t light up the scoreboard like usual.
Draisaitl’s outlook isn’t much better. The numbers suggest he’ll have a quiet night too.
For the Oilers, this game is do-or-die. No NHL team wants to fall into an 0-3 hole in the playoffs.
The puck drops Friday night in Edmonton, where a packed arena of nervous fans will be hoping their home ice advantage finally kicks in.
