Oilers at Golden Knights, Western Conference 2nd Round Game 1 preview

LAS VEGAS — Hostilities might be renewed between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers in Sport 1 of the Western Convention Second Spherical at T-Cell Area on Tuesday (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS, CBC).

It’s a rematch of the hotly contested sequence from two seasons in the past; the groups met on this spherical in 2023 and the video games have been quick, expert, bodily and emotionally charged. The Golden Knights gained the best-of-7 sequence in six video games, utilizing it as a springboard to their first Stanley Cup championship, secured in opposition to the Florida Panthers a month later.

Anticipate extra of the identical this time round with every crew a official contender to win the Stanley Cup. Vegas gained the Pacific Division and Edmonton boasts arguably the 2 greatest forwards within the sport in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers have been one win — one aim — away from profitable the Cup final season, dropping to the Panthers in a seven-game Closing.

“Definitely some heat from a couple of years ago, some hard feelings,” mentioned Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill, who changed the injured Laurent Brossoit within the Sport 3 win two seasons in the past and completed the sequence, profitable every of his two begins. “It’ll be good, high intensity. Guessing it will be pretty physical out there, maybe a little chippy. There’s going to be a lot of good hockey players on the ice.”

Plus, Sport 1 goes to be important. Vegas enters having gained the ultimate three video games of its first-round sequence in opposition to the Minnesota Wild to get rid of them in six. Edmonton has gained 4 straight since falling into an 0-2 gap within the first spherical in opposition to the Los Angeles Kings.

Groups that win Sport 1 in a best-of-7 sequence within the Stanley Cup Playoffs are 531-249 (68.1 %). That quantity improves to 75.1 % if the house crew is victorious.

“Last series was a little different just with the transition from the regular season to the playoffs,” Oilers ahead Evander Kane mentioned. “No excuse, but it was a bit of a fact. We understand that getting down 2-0 isn’t a recipe for success, especially against a team like Vegas. It’s important for us to go down there and get one and be ready for Game 1.”

Here’s a breakdown of Sport 1:

Oilers: Edmonton is wholesome and has settled right into a ahead rotation with which it’s comfy. The Oilers have been taking part in McDavid and Draisaitl along with Corey Perry on the highest line. McDavid and Draisaitl every returned from late-season accidents and have hit their stride. McDavid had 11 factors (two objectives, 9 assists) and Draisaitl had 10 factors (three objectives, seven assists) in opposition to the Kings. Edmonton deployed the identical traces the previous two video games.

“Feels like an eternity with what has gone in in the last month of the season,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch mentioned.

Golden Knights: Prime-line ahead Pavel Dorofeyev stays out after he was injured throughout the third interval of Sport 5 in opposition to the Wild. He’s listed as everyday. Don’t be shocked if Vegas switches its protection pairs; coach Bruce Cassidy just isn’t shy about transferring his tandems round to get one of the best matchup doable in-game. With a number of massive, rangy defensemen at his disposal, there may be the choice for some interchangeability.