Vegas Golden Knights (51-21-7), (1st, Pacific)

Edmonton Oilers (34-40-6) (6th, Pacific)

7 PM MT

Rogers Place

TV: Sportsnet One

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Knights on Ice

BREAKDOWN:

Oilers hung a mighty zero goals up against the Minnesota Wild in Monday’s 3-0 loss. Devan Dubnyk scored his fifth shutout of the season, Zach Parise had a pair of goals, and the Oilers suffered their 40th regulation loss of the season.

The 2017-18 Pacific Division Champion Vegas Golden Knights are in Edmonton tonight. Can the Oilers end the season on a winning streak?

Let’s go to the tape.

The Oilers are saying

“They know there’s a finish line. The finish line is non-rewarding. You fall behind, you feel like you don’t get a break, you miss a net or something like that, it takes a little bit more out of you. We should be more resilient; we’re not right now, but we’re going home, we’ve got to push hard for two (more games).”

Source

That’s Oilers head coach Todd McLellan after his club’s 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Monday night.

McLellan says that the finish line is non-rewarding. I bet you this club can’t wait for the last game on Saturday night. Oilers are 0-4-1 in their last five, while the WIld have made it to the dance in six straight years.

The Golden Knights are saying

“It’s just the amount of talent. All four lines are trying to go, all six [defensemen] are trying to move the puck quick. It makes a forward’s life easy, you just have to get open.”

Source

That’s Golden Knights forward Brandon Pirri after scoring a pair of goals in Tuesday’s 5-4 victory in Vancouver.

Pirri’s two goals are the first two of his year. The Golden Knights have 109 points on the season.

Have some of this

• No, I think I’d rather see him wither away on a third line with Milan Lucic and Ryan Strome. A promotion to the second line with Leon Draisaitl and Jujhar Khaira? Did we win the lottery?
• Oilers were outshot by Minnesota 40/22 on Monday night. Shoot something, anything.
• The absence of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the lineup didn’t help things on Monday night. RNH getting back into the lineup tonight will no doubt be a key for the McDavid-Rattie express.
• Special teams have been a constant point of concern this season. Nothing’s changed recently, as the Oilers are mired in a 0/7 slump over the past two games.
• No points for Connor McDavid in Monday night’s loss, he’s idle at 103 points. Nikita Kucherov is next in line with 98. Not for nothing, but Taylor Hall has 93.
• The Golden Knights have been having a time this season. They’re is 4th overall in goals per game (3.30), they’re tied for 5th in goals allowed (2.68). They’re 8th overall in power play percentage (21.6), and they’re 8th on the PK (81.7%). Heck of a debut season.
• Next season will be Cam Talbot’s third and final year on his contract. Soon, I’ll be exploring what options the Oilers have with Cam going in 2018-19 and beyond Expect Cam Talbot to start tonight for the Oilers. (29-31-3, .907 SV%, 3.05 GAA / 1 SO). Marc-Andre Fleury is likely for the Golden Knights. (29-12-4, .931SV%, 2.14 GAA, 4 SO)
• SICK BAY: Oscar Klefbom (shoulder) is out for the season. Andrej Sekera (knee) is also out. Yohan Auvitu (foot) is day-to-day. Matthew Benning (upper body) are day-to-day. For the Golden Knights, David Perron (undisclosed) is day-to-day. Reilly Smith (upper body) is also day-to-day, while Luca Sbisa (undisclosed) is out indefinitely.