Both the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers went through tough seven-game series in the opening round of the Playoffs. The Oilers won the decisive game in Los Angeles just three days ago and now they are travelling to Calgary to open up the second round against the Flames in Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, on May 18, 2022.
Match Details
- Calgary Flames vs Edmonton Oilers
- NHL – Western Conference Playoffs, Round 2, Game 1
- Date – 18/5/2022
- Starting time – 10.30 PM ET
- Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta
Calgary Flames Stats & Form
The Calgary Flames finished third in the Western Conference which was enough to have the home court advantage in the matchup against the local rivals the Edmonton Oilers.
The Flames survived a tough series against the Dallas Stars who barely made it to the Playoffs. Calgary needed an overtime goal in the decisive Game 7 to advance. Johnny Gaudreau’s electric game-winner in game 7 set off a raucous celebration. The fact he did it with an “A” on his jersey as an alternate captain could also be seen as a sign of growth.
The Flames haven’t reached the conference finals since losing the 2004 Stanley Cup Final to Tampa Bay.
Calgary Flames News
Sean Monahan will not play for the Flames tonight while Christopher Tanev is questionable.
Edmonton Oilers Stats & Form
The Edmonton Oilers finished fifth in the Western Conference in the regular season but were the favorites in the opening round against the Los Angeles Kings. That didn’t play any role in the beginning of the series as the Kings went on to take a 3-2 lead. The Oilers survived Game 6 on the road and then kept a clean sheet in the decisive game to advance to the second round.
The Oilers haven’t reached the conference finals since losing to Carolina in the Cup final in 2006.
Connor McDavid’s play has been sublime nearly from the moment he arrived in the NHL as the league’s next great star in 2016. While he’s a finalist to claim his third Hart Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player, he’s still waiting for that postseason breakthrough and this may be that year.
Leon Draisaitl, Evander Kane and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are all expected to play. Draisaitl appeared to injure his leg early in Game 6 but gutted his way through the rest of the series with Los Angeles, including skating 23 minutes in Game 7.
Edmonton Oilers News
Oscar Klefbom will not play for Edmonton tonight.
Calgary Flames vs Edmonton Oilers Head-to-Head Stats
Both teams have won 5 of the last 10 head-to-head games with the Flames winning the last two.
Three of the last four games between these two teams have ended with over 5.5 goals.
Calgary Flames vs Edmonton Oilers Betting Odds
The Calgary Flames are favourites to win the opening game of the series with the odds set at 100, while the Kings are at 200. The draw is at 360.
The total goal margin is 5.5 with -156 odds to go over and 125 to finish under.
Betting Tip
The Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames both fought through a long seven-game series in the first round and now will battle each other in the battle of Alberta in the second round. The Oilers come in as the underdogs in the series but cannot be counted out as they possess one of the most lethal power plays in the game. Calgary on the other hand though does have an elite defence that will give Connor McDavid and company fits.
The Flames ranked as the third-best defence in the regular season and only allowed 2 goals a game in the first round. Calgary getting Game 1 at home is a huge determining factor for me, as they are 24-9 in their last 33 home games while the Oilers are just 2-6 in their last eight games as a road underdog. Calgary will open the series strong with a Game 1 win at home.
