Subscribe
Follow Us
The Vegas Golden Knights have themselves a date with the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Semi Final, marking just the second ever matchup between the two clubs beyond the 82nd game of the regular season in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Oilers arrived at this point thanks to having won four consecutive games against the Los Angeles Kings after initially trailing two games to none; it was also their fourth consecutive Round 1 victory over the Kings.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights have arrived in the Semi Finals after defeating the Minnesota Wild in the opening round for the first time since the 2021 postseason.
Oilers team captain Connor McDavid is already expressing excitement for the matchup, via NHL.com.
“Looking forward to it,” McDavid said on Sunday. “Obviously, they’re a great team. It was only a couple years ago when they beat us and they won it all, so they're a proven group, battle tested, and it'll be a great series.”
Additionally, Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel knows what is in store considering the talent that Edmonton features in their lineup, specifically the tandem of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
“They can hurt you a lot of different ways,” Eichel said. “They are both dynamic offensively. They can hurt you with the puck on their stick, they can create a lot for the other people on the ice with them, and they can create a lot for themselves.
“Two of the best players in our game, and we are going to need to account for them when they are on the ice. They do a lot of damage. Understand that you need to contain them and do what you can to do that.”
What exactly does this matchup hold in store for the fans of either team (and those watching from a neutral perspective)?
Oilers' goaltending will falter — for good, this time
There has been plenty made (and then some) about Edmonton's goaltending tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. After all, it was Skinner who surrendered a total of 11 goals in the opening two games against the Kings. Coach Kris Knoblauch decided to make the switch to backup Calvin Pickard (whom he utilized when Skinner faltered in last year's postseason), and it paid dividends.
Pickard and the Oilers won four straight games over the Kings, and it will most likely be Pickard between the pipes for the Oilers on Tuesday evening at T-Mobile Arena. However, let's not pretend that Edmonton's problems are suddenly solved.
The Oilers moved on past the Kings in spite of their goaltending, not because of it. And with the offensive attack that the Golden Knights boast from players like Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, and Pavel Dorofeyev, Edmonton's goaltending won't be able to sustain the moderate success that it enjoyed against the Kings.
Article Continues Below
As fans like to say, it's a completely new ball game against the Golden Knights as opposed to the Kings, and the Oilers are about to learn a tough lesson.
Golden Knights will contain both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl
The resilience of the Golden Knights was on full display during their first-round victory over the Minnesota Wild. While the Wild received five goals each from star forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, those ten goals accounted for approximately 56 percent of the team's total offensive output.
There's no denying that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are two of the most offensively gifted players in the world. However, Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy is expected to counter their elite skill with a disciplined and effective game plan designed to neutralize their impact.
Vegas has been there and done that, and they should be able to do so again.
Golden Knights will advance to Western Conference Final
The bottom line is that the Golden Knights have the championship experience, while the Oilers do not. It's true that the Oilers did win three straight games in last year's Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers before ultimately falling short. However, there's no denying the championship pedigree that the Golden Knights continue to boast.
Several players on the Vegas roster are still in place from their title-winning squad from 2023, including Stone, Eichel, Adin Hill, Reilly Smith (re-acquired via trade), William Karlsson, Shea Theodore, and coach Cassidy.
While the Oilers are hoping for the club's first title since 1990, it will be the Golden Knights who dispatch them in search of their second title in three years.
Game 1 between the Golden Knights and Oilers will take place on Tuesday evening at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
