Edmonton Oilers vs. Calgary Flames Picks, Predictions, Odds

Daniel Dobish Sports Betting Expert

11 minute read

The Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames meet at Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday night for Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals, a best-of-seven series. The Oilers lead the series 3-1. Puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on ESPN.

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Score Prediction

Flames 5, Oilers 3

Best Bet

Flames -141
Over 6.5 (-110)

EDMONTON OILERS vs. CALGARY FLAMES PREDICTIONS

The Oilers protected home ice in Games 3 and 4, topping the Flames 4-1 in Game 3 in the only UNDER result of the series. Edmonton also held off Calgary 5-3 in Game 4 on Tuesday night, overcoming a shocking game-tying shorthanded goal from past center ice to beat Mike Smith, who lost track of the puck on a clear on a penalty kill from Rasmus Andersson. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins saved the day with the game-winning goal, and Evander Kane added an empty-net power-play goal with 25 seconds left, his second of the game, and fifth in the past two outings.

The Flames now have their backs against the wall in this Battle of Alberta. It's all been downhill since a wild 9-6 win in Game 1 on home ice, as Calgary has scored a total of just seven goals in the previous three outings. Jacob Markstrom also made a huge misplay in the opening minute of Game 4, setting the tone for the rest of the night, forcing the Flames to have to play catch-up all evening.

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EDMONTON OILERS vs. CALGARY FLAMES BETTING ODDS

Oilers +115
Flames -141
Oilers +1.5 (-227)
Flames -1.5 (+185)
Over 6.5 (-110)
Under 6.5 (-110)

More Odds | Futures Odds

EDMONTON OILERS vs. CALGARY FLAMES BETTING RESOURCES

• Date: Thursday, May 26, 2022
• Matchup: Pacific vs. Pacific
• Venue: Scotiabank Saddledome
• Location: Calgary, Alta.
• TV-Time: ESPN, 9:30 p.m. ET

EDMONTON OILERS BETTING ANALYSIS

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 56-30-7
• ATS: 46-47
• O/U: 48-42-3

The nice thing for the Oilers is that someone has finally stepped up to help out Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the postseason. The mercurial Kane, maligned during previous stops for some off-ice indiscretions, has kept his nose clean and re-emerged as the star he has been in the past during stops in Buffalo and Winnipeg. When he is on his game, he is a star in this league, and the Flames won't soon forget his contributions against them.

The Oilers have won the past three games, including Game 2 on the road in Calgary by a 5-3 score. They're now 26-10 across the past 36 games overall, and 8-4 in the past 12 games on the road. Edmonton is playing with a lot of confidence, and would love a crack at the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals. It has three chances to send their bitter rivals to the handshake line, holding a 3-1 series lead going to Calgary.

The OVER is 3-1 in the first four games of this series, and 6-2 across the previous eight meetings in the Battle of Alberta including the four regular-season battles this season.

CALGARY FLAMES BETTING ANALYSIS

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 55-27-11
• ATS: 49-44
• O/U: 45-40-8

Everything started off well for the Flames in this series, but things really turned in Game 2 on home ice with a stunning 5-3 loss. The Flames were unable to touch up Mike Smith, although Milan Lucic certainly tried, and Markstrom has been the goaltender making more mistakes. He had nine shutouts in the regular season, another in the Dallas series, and he allowed very few goals in the opening round. He looked like the kind of guy who could carry a team single-handedly through the playoffs. However, lately, he has looked more like Mike Smith than Mike Smith, i.e. mistake-prone.

The Flames are still 37-20 across the past 57 games overall, and 25-10 in the previous 35 games at home, although they're just 1-1 in this series on home ice. It's now or never for the Flames, or they'll be snuffed out of these playoffs.

Calgary has cashed the UNDER at a 12-7-2 clip across the past 21 playoff games when favored, and the OVER has connected at a 15-6-1 mark in the past 22 battles between these teams on Saddledome ice.

EDMONTON OILERS vs. CALGARY FLAMES CONCLUSION

This series looked like it was going to be absolutely wild, after we saw 15 combined goals in the series opener, and eight more in Game 2. We have had the rough stuff, we had the controversial collision between Lucic and Smith, and we had the memorable Markstrom misplay early in Game 4, and the Smith goof-up late on a clearing attempt. This series really has had it all, and we're not ready to say good-bye to the Battle of Alberta just yet.

The Flames will protect home ice, and force this series back to Edmonton for Game 6. And we're likely to see the offense fire back up against, perhaps not to the levels we saw in the series opener, but more like Games 2 and 4.

EDMONTON OILERS vs. CALGARY FLAMES BETTING TRENDS

• Oilers are 26-10 in the past 36 games overall.
• Oilers are 8-4 in the past 12 road games.
• Flames are 37-20 in the past 57 games overall.
• Flames are 25-10 in the past 35 home games.
• Flames are 7-2 in the past nine as a home fave.
• UNDER is 12-7-2 in the past 21 playoff games as a favorite for the Flames.
• Home team is 8-1 in the past nine meetings.
• Favorite is 8-1 in the past nine meetings.
• Oilers are 2-5 in the past seven trips to Calgary.
• OVER is 15-6-1 in the past 22 meetings in Calgary.

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Daniel Dobish

Dan is a handicapper and sports betting expert for VegasInsider with years of experience writing for a number of top publications in the industry. More from Daniel Dobish