Expect Overs to Continue to Cash in Oilers vs. Avalanche Series

The Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche scored a combined 14 goals in Game 1 of their Western Conference Final, and if you think that goal-apalooza was an anomaly, you'd be sadly mistaken.

I truly don't think that oddsmakers can set the total for this series high enough, so I'll likely be betting on the OVER in every game of the Western Conference Final moving forward.

WynnBET has the total is set at 7 for Game 2, with the OVER juiced to -130. GIVE ME THE OVER!

Goals Won't Stop Coming in Western Conference Final

Sometimes, high-scoring games happen in the NHL solely due to poor play by one, or both, goaltenders. While that certainly played a role in 14 goals being scored in Game 1, it wasn't the only reason.

Even if you took the poor goaltending play out of the equation, the combined "expected goals" in the game was 8.54. This was largely due to the wide-open style of play that both teams implemented, resulting in a total of 37 high-danger scoring chances.

Even "The Great One" noticed the complete lack of defense in the opening game of the series, and was uncharacteristically animated about it in the post-game show on TNT.

Perhaps this should've been expected heading into the series. Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Oilers averaged 15.19 high-danger scoring chances per 60 minutes of play, and the Avalanche averaged 13.67. They were also the second and third highest-ranking teams in expected goals per game, at 3.71 and 3.66 respectively.

Maybe this is just what happens when you pit two of the best offensive players in the game against each other in Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.

No matter what happens, unless oddsmakers start setting the total for the game at 8, I'm going to recommend that you continue betting on the OVER.

Ironically, the complete opposite can be said about the Eastern Conference Final between the Rangers and Lightning.

You can track Iain's bets on Betstamp here.