May 1st NHL Odds and Picks – Oilers Seek Revenge in Battle of Alberta

• The NHL features a massive 15-game slate on Saturday, May 1st
• The Bolts visit the Wings, while the Oilers and Flames rematch in the Battle of Alberta
• See odds for all 15 games along with our best bets below

It’s one of the busiest nights of the NHL season to kick off the month of May. All 31 teams minus the Winnipeg Jets will be in action on a packed Saturday slate that offers some great betting value.

The Lightning will aim improve their playoff position against the slumping Red Wings, while the Oilers and Flames faceoff in the Battle of Alberta for the second time in three nights.

We layout the odds for all 15 NHL games on Saturday, May 1st and provide our best bets below.

NHL Odds May 1st

Odds as of April 30th at DraftKings.

Lighting Will Strike In Detroit 

The Tampa Bay Lightning are catching fire at the right time in the race for first place in the Central Division. The Bolts have won four straight games and are now only three points behind the first-place Hurricanes and two points behind the second-place Panthers,

The Bolts have a great chance to keep the momentum going against a Detroit team that has lost three straight games and six of their last seven. The Red Wings have already been eliminated from playoff contention and have to play the remainder of the season without captain Dylan Larkin (upper-body injury).

Dylan Larkin will miss the remainder of the season, per Coach Blashill.

He will be reevaluated in two weeks. pic.twitter.com/1Qs55CWkOk

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 23, 2021

Tampa Bay has taken four of six meetings with Detroit this season and have much more to play for Saturday. The Wings have scored just three goals in their last three games and now have to face one of the league’s best goalies in Andrei Vasilevskiy, who owns a .929 save percentage. On the flip side, the Bolts’ offense is firing on all cylinders with 14 goals scored over their past three contests.

Tampa Bay has already clinched a playoff berth, but home-ice advantage is still up for grabs. The Lightning will be hungry Saturday and they hold the edge in almost every area against Detroit. Expect the Bolts’ fifth-ranked power play to go to work against the Wings’ 22nd-ranked penalty kill and be the reason the puckline cashes.

Pick: Lightning -1.5 (-125)

Oilers Will Get Revenge On Flames 

Edmonton will be looking for a much-better showing in Saturday’s Battle of Alberta after falling to the Flames by a 3-1 score Thursday evening. The Oilers turned in an uncharastically sloppy efort, turning the puck over too many times and allowing Calgary 10 high-danger chances. Edmonton was playing the second half of a back-to-back, and the fatigue clearly showed.

The Oilers have a full day of rest Friday to prepare for Saturday’s big rivalry game. The Flames are a desperate team as they chase the final playoff berth in the North Division, but the Oilers are also going to be determined as they try to lock down the second seed. Edmonton hasn’t lost consecutive home games since February and are 8-4 in the last 12 Battle of Alberta’s at Rogers Place.

Connor McDavid was held without a point Thursday, which typically means he’ll go off the following game. The phenom had recorded 15 points in his previous five games and has torched the Flames throughout his career with 22 goals and 37 points in 29 contests. He and Leon Draisaitl should find success against Jacob Markstrom, who was excellent Thursday but owns a.879 save percentage against the Oilers this season.

The Oilers have been the better team this season and are going to want to reinstate their dominance on home ice in the 10th and final Battle of Alberta of the regular season. Bet on McDavid and company benefiting from their day of rest and exploding against a Calgary defense in which they’ve had great success against this year.

Pick: Oilers (-124)