GAME PREVIEW: Oilers Going For Back To Back Wins With A Trip To Vegas

Edmonton Oilers (32-32-7) (5th, Pacific)

Vegas Golden Knights (39-27-5) (3rd, Pacific)

8 PM MST

T-Mobile Arena

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Knights On Ice

GOING FOR TWO

Connor McDavid took a pass from Oscar Klefbom in the first minute of overtime, and The Edmonton Oilers emerged victorious in last night’s matchup in Arizona. McDavid’s heroics did not begin in overtime, rather they began when he netted a shorthaded goal in the fourth minute of the first period. McDavid had a hand in all three Oiler goals, having assisted on Matt Benning’s fifth of the season early in the second. The Oilers would have liked to have taken this one in regulation, but it took an extra minute in overtime to pick up two points.

The Oilers look to keep their winning ways as they travel to Vegas to take on the Golden Knights. Can the Oilers string together another W?

Let’s go to the tape. .

The Oilers are saying

It was a big goal by a big-time player and we rely on him to score goals, especially in overtime.

Source

That’s Oilers forward MIlan Lucic on Connor McDavid.

McDavid’s three points (2-1-3) helped keep the Oilers away from mathematical elimination for another day. Each game from here on out is like a one-game playoff series. They play this one game series eleven more times this year.

The Knights are saying

Given the four days off it felt maybe a little bit sloppy, but the energy was there. We’re close. We feel like we have the right recipe in here and we’re close to putting it all together and want to make sure we do so right before the playoffs,

Source

That’s Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty after his club’s 2-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Friday night.

The Golden Knights are third in the Pacific with 83 points. They’ll reach the playoffs rather comfortably if they can play .500 hockey in their next eleven games.

HAVE SOME OF THIS

• Joseph Gambardella has made his way back into the lineup. Playing alongside Colby Cave and Josh Currie, Gambardella saw just over six minutes of ice time, had a couple of hits and a shot. A pending UFA, this could be Gambardella’s kick at the can with the Oilers org.
• Vegas is right in the thick of things when it comes to scoring goals (T-14th, 2.96 goals per game). They’re allowing a tidy 2.75 per game, good for 8th overall.
• NET GAINS: 28 saves for Oilers goaltender Mikko Koskinen in yesterday’s 3-2 OT win, it’s fair to reason that he’s the go-to for tonight’s matchup in Vegas (22-16-4 .911 SV% / 2.77 GAA / 4 SO) Can Koskinen turn back-to-back performances into back-to-back wins? He’ll likely face off against Malcolm Subban.
• SICK BAY: Only Jesse Puljujarvi (hip surgery) is out for the Oilers. The Golden Knights are without forward William Carriere (upper body) and Marc-Andre Fleury (expecting)
• A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS: Last night’s OT victory was nice, but the Oilers let the Coyotes away with a point. They’re now seven points away from those Coyotes, they’ve got to win tonight to close the gap to five.