Edmonton Oilers (19-23-3) (6th, Pacific)

Vegas Golden Knights (29-10-2) (1st, Pacific)

8 PM MDT

T-Mobile Arena - Las Vegas, NV

TV: CBC

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Knights on Ice

BREAKDOWN

Darnell Nurse scored two goals! The Oilers beat the Coyotes! There was a road win! Everything is back to normal, you guys. You can all go home now.

Arizona got out to an early 2-0 lead when Brad Richardson and Josh Archibald each had a goal early in the first period. By the fourth minute, it was 2-0 Oilers, the paint was peeling off of the walls, signs were melting, and Cam Talbot got yanked in favour of Al Montoya. But it wasn’t all bad! Darnell Nurse would score his first of two goals and Patrick Maroon would have a helper before the period would come to a close. Nurse would score the eventual game winner in the third period and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would have an empty netter. A victory! On the road! Against the NHL’s worst team!

The Oilers take on the Golden Knights on the Vegas Strip tonight. Vegas is just coming off of their bye week, while the Oilers will head to theirs after tonight. Can they take two games in two nights?

Let’s go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

“I found a way to get two. It was good to let a slap shot go a couple times there”

Source

That’s Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse after scoring two goals against the Coyotes.

Could get used to that.

The Golden Knights are saying

“I’m not sure how serious any professional sports All-Star game should be taken, much less one that throughout its history has changed formats more than Apple does products.”

Source

To be fair, that’s not one of the Golden Knights. That’s Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, who is shocked that Jonathan Marchessault didn’t get selected for this year’s All-Star game in Tampa. To be fair, Marchessault has been a stone cold killer since being picked up in the expansion draft from the Florida Panthers. Marchessault’s been a stone cold killer this year with 40 points (16-24-40) in 38 games.

Welcome to the NHL, Ed. Wait til you see our offsides rule.

Have some of this

• Happy 21st birthday, Connor McDavid. Just another day at the office. Two assists including this beauty give him 50 points (15-35-50) on the year. It’s a damn shame where the Oilers are in the standings today.
• WHY ARE THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS SO GOOD? Opposing players are sewing their royal oats the night before the game The Knights are killing it this year. An expansion team is playing for their 30th win in just their 42nd game of the season. The club is second in goals scored (3.44) per game, they’re tenth overall in goals allowed (2.71) per game. It defies conventional wisdom that a team of cast-offs are leading the league, but here we are. Marc-Andre Fleury has a .945 SV%. Malcolm Subban’s filled in very nicely with a .918 SV%. Nothing lasts forever, but the Golden Knights are making the most of a first impression.
• ETC: Defenceman Jack Johnson has requested a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Before you even look up his stats, just, no. Here’s hoping he lands on his feet for a six year deal in Vancouver.
• Al Montoya saved the day last night in Arizona. It was a quick night for Cam Talbot, so I’d wager we’ll see Talbot tonight. (15-16-2, .900 SV% / 3.15 GAA / 1 SO). Marc-Andre Fleury will likely lead the Golden Knights out of the bye week (9-2-1, .945 SV% / 1.77 GAA / 2 SO)
• SICK BAY: The Golden Knights will be without defencemen Luca Sbisa (hand), Jon Merrill (undisclosed). The Oilers have no one to list on their injury report at this time.