Head-to-Head: Edmonton Oilers vs Vegas Golden Knights
Edmonton Oilers | Head-to-Head | Vegas Golden Knights |
Jay Woodcroft | Head Coach | Bruce Cassidy |
50-23-9 (2nd in Pacific Division) | Standing | 51-22-9 (1st in Pacific Division) |
| Leaders |
|
Leon Draisaitl (15) | Points | Mark Stone (10) |
Leon Draisaitl (11) | Goals | Chandler Stephenson (5) |
Evan Bouchard (10) | Assists | Mark Stone (6) |
Leon Draisaitl (5) | +/- | Brett Howden (8) |
Connor McDavid (4.43) | Shots (Per Game) | Jack Eichel (3.67) |
Edmonton Oilers vs Vegas Golden Knights Predictions and Picks
The Edmonton Oilers will travel to Las Vegas to face the Golden Knights in the first game of their Second Round series. These teams have distinctly different playing styles, so this should make for an interesting series.
The Golden Knights won Game One 6-4. The first period was packed with scoring. Edmonton scored the first goal, but the Golden Knights went on to score three goals after that. Leon Draisaitl scored his second goal of the game after that, with 11 seconds left in the first. Neither team scored in the second, but five combined goals were scored in the third period. Vegas led 5-4 in the final minutes, and the Oilers pulled their goalie. This move worked against them, as Jack Eichel scored an empty netter to cement the win.
The Oilers had some up and downs in the first half of the season but stepped up in the second half. They finished the year tied for the second-most points in the Western Conference at 109. They faced the Los Angeles Kings in the First Round and beat them in six games. Edmonton was down 2-1 after three games and went on to win the next three games. Their offense has been on fire in the Playoffs and will continue to be vital to their success.
Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, and Evan Bouchard are responsible for nearly half of the Oilers’ points in the Playoffs. They have scored over half of the Oilers’ 29 goals in the Playoffs and are producing at a high level. With that being said, Edmonton may need some other players to contribute more going forward.
Stuart Skinner will likely get the start for the Oilers. Skinner has had some struggles in the Playoffs. He gave up five goals on 33 shots his last time out and has a .883 save percentage in the Playoffs. Skinner must be a brick wall in net this game.
The Golden Knights had an excellent First Round against the Winnipeg Jets. They lost Game One 4-1 but rattled off four straight wins after that to win the series in five. This will be a more challenging series, but it is safe to say the Golden Knights have momentum.
Mark Stone, Chandler Stephenson, Jack Eichel, William Karlsson, and Alex Pietrangelo have been key to the Golden Knights’ success this offseason. Stone leads this group with ten points, Stephenson has five goals, Eichel and Karlsson have four goals each, and Pietrangelo has six assists.
Laurent Brossoit will probably get the start in the net for the Golden Knights. Brossoit has not been excellent in the Playoffs, but he has been better than Stuart Skinner. The British Columbia native has a .906 save percentage and is allowing less than 2.7 goals per game.
The Oilers will fix some issues from Game One and come out stronger today. Bet on them to win.
Why Might the Edmonton Oilers Win?
The Oilers are the favorites but will only win with strong goaltending and power-play goals.
The Oilers have lost games because of goaltending mistakes this Postseason. Stuart Skinner is not solely to blame, but he could be better. Skinner must bring his A-game into this matchup, or the Oilers will lose.
The Oilers’ power play unit has been unstoppable in the Playoffs. They are converting nearly 58% of their opportunities and had two goals last game. Edmonton must take that momentum into this game and score a couple more power-play goals.
Why Might the Vegas Golden Knights Win?
The Golden Knights are the underdogs but can win if they slow down Leon Draisatl and have a strong defense.
Leon Draisaitl scored all four of the Oilers’ goals in Game One. I do not expect to do that again this game, but I expect him to score once or twice. The Golden Knights’ defensemen must limit his offense and force him to pass the puck.
The Golden Knights may have won Game One, but they are still facing an Oilers’ team with an excellent offense. Vegas must play strong defense and limit the Oilers’ shots.
Oilers Key Players: (C) Leon Draisaitl
Leon Draisaitl is the obvious choice. The center scored 11 points in Game One and has 11 goals in the Playoffs. Not only is Draisaitl scoring, but he is scoring with accuracy. The 27-year-old is scoring on over 36% of his shots and must continue to dominate in this game.
Golden Knights Key Player: (C) Brett Howden
Brett Howden is a bit of a surprising choice, but I have a good reason for picking him. Howden leads the Golden Knights in +/- at eight. His production has not been too impressive this Postseason, but good things happen when he is on the ice.
/filters:no_upscale()/fit-in/1200x585/1683273944/oilers-vs-knights-leon-draisaitl.jpg "Oilers vs knights leon draisaitl")
/fit-in/222x222/frame-1-1.png)
/1666348118/max-heering.jpg "Max heering")
/dmca.png "Dmca"){kind=small}
/1670944202/21.png "21"){kind=small}
/1670944628/2022-igb-best-casino-affiliate-gig-media-e1651053747946.png "2022 igb best casino affiliate gig media e1651053747946"){kind=small}
/1670944701/gig-media-power-affiliates-rank-123x40-1.png "Gig media power affiliates rank 123x40 1"){kind=icon}
/1670944773/800-gambler-black-144x40.jpg "800 gambler black 144x40"){kind=small}
/1718715753/gpwa.webp "Gpwa"){kind=small}
