The first ever playoff confrontation between the Oilers and Golden Knights pits Edmonton’s explosive offence towards probably the greatest two-way groups within the NHL.
Vegas (51-22-9) acquired it achieved at each ends of the ice to rank first within the Western Conference, two factors up on Edmonton (50-23-9).
The Knights have been among the many league’s top-five plus-minus groups within the common season and topped the primary spherical of the playoffs at plus-seven.
“They gained the division, so we all know what we’re up towards,” Oilers defenceman Mattias Ekholm stated. “It’s a high-powered offence in my thoughts. They have some actually good D that may transfer the puck as nicely, so they seem to be a fairly full staff.”
Vegas will get home-ice benefit to kick off the second-round collection Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena. Game 2 is Friday earlier than the collection flips to Edmonton.
WATCH | Oilers remove Kings in Game 6:
Yamamoto’s late third interval objective holds up as Oilers remove Kings from the postseason
Kailer Yamamoto’s go forward objective within the third interval proved to be the winner as Edmonton defeats Los Angeles 5-4, giving Edmonton a 4-2 collection win over the Kings.
The best-of-seven convention semifinal additionally marks the primary playoff assembly of the Oilers’ Connor McDavid and the Knights’ Jack Eichel since they have been chosen first and second respectively within the 2015 entry draft.
The Oilers swept the regular-season collection 4-0, however three have been one-goal video games and two have been additional time wins.
“A special animal, common season [and] playoffs, so I do not assume that interprets very nicely.” McDavid stated. “That core has been collectively for a very long time. They do a number of actually good issues.”
Knights’ ahead Mark Stone was out of the lineup for the final three regular-season video games towards the Oilers.
The 30-year-old from Winnipeg missed a complete of 39 due to again surgical procedure. That the Knights remained nicely above .500 with out one in every of their greatest two-way forwards displays their depth.
Stone returned for the post-season. He produced a pair of three-point nights throughout a first-round elimination of his hometown Jets in 5 video games.
Edmonton wanted six to oust the Los Angeles Kings. The Oilers remained in California to relaxation and skate earlier than leaving the seaside for the desert.
“Any time you’ll be able to restrict your time on the airplane, it is clearly factor,” McDavid informed reporters in L.A. “They’ll be rested too. They’ve been off for just a little bit.”
WATCH | Golden Knights dismiss Jets in 5 video games:
Golden Knights remove Jets from playoffs as Stephenson leads method
Winnipeg falls to Vegas 4-1 and are eradicated from the NHL playoffs in 5 video games. Chandler Stephenson scores twice whereas Mark Stone finishes with three factors.
A key to this collection is Edmonton’s energy play firing at 56 per cent within the playoffs, in comparison with a middling Knights’ penalty kill working at 58 per cent.
The reunification of McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the identical line alongside Evander Kane early within the opening spherical created a series response of extra even-strength manufacturing and secondary scoring.
Draisaitl was among the many NHL’s prime performers of the primary spherical at 1.83 factors per sport.
McDavid, the league’s main scorer this season, contributed a objective and 6 assists in three straight victories to shut out the L.A. collection.
“If you are going to beat the Oilers, you have to discover a technique to gradual them down sooner or later,” Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy stated in Las Vegas.
“Limit these probabilities. Score your self since you’re not going to by no means hold these guys proper off the scoresheet. During our Winnipeg collection, I felt we acquired higher and higher defensively because the collection went on.”
Vegas goaltending was a carousel in 2022-23 with 5 totally different sport starters: Logan Thompson (36 video games), Adin Hill (25), Jonathan Quick (9), Laurent Brossoit (10) and Jiri Patera (2).
Brossoit posted a .915 save proportion and a pair of.42 goals-against common towards the Jets.
He’s acquainted with Alberta’s capital metropolis as he broke into the NHL because the Oilers’ backup after spending his Western Hockey League profession as an Edmonton Oil King.
His Oilers counterpart Stuart Skinner rode the roller-coaster within the first playoff collection of his profession — good at occasions and shaky at others — however he was helped out by an offence that may produce five-plus targets a sport.
The 24-year-old can be coming off a 40-save Game 6 outing in L.A.
Edmonton and the Toronto Maple Leafs, who’re taking over the Florida Panthers within the second spherical, are the 2 Canadian NHL golf equipment left in Stanley Cup rivalry in 2023.
It’s been 30 years because the Montreal Canadiens lifted the trophy in 1993.
Tale of the tape
Regular-season collection: Edmonton 4-0.
Goals per sport: Edmonton, 3.96 (1st); Vegas, 3.26 (14th).
Goals towards per sport: Edmonton, 3.12 (seventeenth): Vegas, 2.74 (eleventh).
Top level scorers in common season: Edmonton, Connor McDavid, 153; Vegas, Jack Eichel, 66.
Starting goaltender: Edmonton, Stuart Skinner, 29-14-5, 2.75 GAA, .914 save proportion; Vegas, Laurent Brossoit, 7-0-3, 2.17, .927.
Power play proportion: Edmonton, 32.4 (1st); Vegas, 20.3 (18th).
Penalty kill proportion: Edmonton, 77 (twentieth); Vegas 77.4 (nineteenth).
The Big Stat: Of the eight remaining groups within the NHL playoffs, the Golden Knights boast the best focus of gamers with Stanley Cup remaining expertise (12), in comparison with the Oilers (3).
