Pacific Division rivals, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers, are set to clash in Game 1 of the 2025 Stanley Cup conference semifinals. The opening game will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, with the puck dropping on Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Both teams advanced after hard-fought six-game series in the first round. The Golden Knights overcame the Minnesota Wild, while the Oilers rallied from a two-game deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Kings. Their regular-season matchups were evenly split.
According to the latest odds for this Game 1, Las Vegas is the favorite on the money line at -136, meaning a $136 wager would win $100. Edmonton is listed as the underdog at +115, where a $100 bet could yield $115. The over/under for the total number of goals scored is set at six. Additionally, the Golden Knights are -1.5 on the puck line with odds of +184.
For those looking for insights before making any bets, the SportsLine Projection Model, which has a strong track record in NHL betting (78-55 on top-rated puck-line and over/under picks in the 2025 playoffs, returning over $1,500 for $100 players), offers its best bets for this matchup.
One recommended pick is taking the Oilers +1.5 on the puck line, with odds at -225. Edmonton has a recent history of success against the Golden Knights, having won and covered the puck line in their last two meetings, including a 3-2 victory at T-Mobile Arena in early April. Given that Vegas`s last three wins were decided by just one goal, there`s a strong probability of a close contest. The SportsLine model supports this, projecting the Oilers to cover the puck line in almost 70% of simulations.
Another top prediction is for Leon Draisaitl to record 2 or more points, with odds around +125. The German forward has been a significant offensive force in the playoffs, accumulating 10 points (three goals, seven assists) through six games. He was also effective against the Knights in the regular season, tallying four points (two goals, two assists) in four contests, all against Vegas goalie Adin Hill. Notably, Hill allowed two or more goals in every game during the first round against Minnesota.
