Round 2 Preview: Oilers in another medieval matchup vs. Golden Knights

With the Kings deposed, our tale turns to the next chapter where Connor McDavid and his band of merry men must now face a host of evil Knights.

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But not just any knights. Ones in shining armour basked in the golden glow of the sun after claiming the top prize in all the Pacific following an 82-battle campaign.

This, brave adventurers, is Round 2 of the NHL playoffs. A land where not everyone expected the Edmonton Oilers to reach.

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The heralds weren’t exactly blowing brazen trumpets in their march to the post-season, after limping their way down the playoff stretch with warrior after warrior falling to injury.

But such is the way for those who live and die by the sword, as the Oilers gathered themselves up and rallied to come back from an 0-2 series deficit against Los Angeles to send the Kings packing in Round 1 for the fourth year in a row.

What is to become of our heroes is anyone’s guess, as they march their way toward the border of Round 2, where the  Vegas Golden Knights await.

PLAYOFF PAST

You don’t have to read too far into the scrolls of history to find when these two teams last met in the playoffs.

In fact, this will only be the second time it’s happened. Vegas vanquished the Oilers in six games when they first met in 2022-23, on the way to claiming the young franchise’s first Stanley Cup banner.

In their quest to add a second one, following a disappointing Round 1 ousting in seven games at the hands of the Dallas Stars last year, their paths cross once again with the Oilers, who are coming off a defeat by the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

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BY THE NUMBERS

Vegas finished with a record of 50-22-10 to sit first in the Pacific Division and third overall with 110 points, behind the Presidents’ Cup-winning Winnipeg Jets and the Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals.

It was the fifth time the Golden Knights won their division — something the Oilers haven’t done since 1987.

They defeated the Minnesota Wild, who held the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, 4-2 in their opening-round matchup and hit Round 2 on a three-game win streak.

The Oilers ended up 48-29-5 to finish third in the Pacific and ninth overall, marking the first time they didn’t finish second in their division since reaching the qualifying round of the 2019-20 season (during the COVID-19 interruption).

They bounced back from falling behind 0-2 to the Kings and ride a four-game win streak into the next round.

TEAM STRENGTHS

It’s no secret Edmonton relies on a high-octane offence to push the pedal to the metal on the opposition. Led by forwards McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, as well as defenceman Evan Bouchard, the Oilers might not always be able to outscore their problems, but they are the root cause of them for the opposition.

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Besides holding home-ice advantage in the series once again, perhaps the biggest thing going for the Golden Knights is their defensive game. The 4.00 goals a game the Oilers have allowed is the worst out of all remaining teams, while the Golden Knights sit middle of the pack at 3.17 goals against.

TOP GUNS

Like it was two years ago in the series, it’s hard not to look at this one and see McDavid vs. Jack Eichel, the top two picks in the 2015 NHL Draft.

McDavid finished sixth in league scoring with an even 100 points (26 goals, 74 assists) in just 67 games played, hitting triple digits for the eighth time in his career.

Eichel ended up two spots behind with a career-high 94 points (28 goals, 66 assists).

THE MATCHUP

Draisaitl claimed the Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard trophy as the league’s leading goal scorer with 52 in 71 games played, while leading his team with 106 points — six ahead of McDavid. But it was McDavid leading the league with 11 playoff points (two goals, nine assists) by the time they finished off L.A — albeit by just one point on Draisaitl (three goals, seven assists).

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Whether he’s the superhero or sidekick for the Oilers, Draisaitl will once again come face-to-face in the playoff ring with stud Vegas defenceman Alex Pietrangelo.

The two took turns getting in their licks on each other in their previous playoff meeting, with Pietrangelo ultimately getting suspended for a nasty slash that made him Public Enemy No. 1 among Oilers fans.

It will be the matchup to watch, for sure. But runner-up has to go to Evander Kane and the lady who was giving him the finger while he blew kisses to her from the ice at T-Mobile Arena.

GOALIE BATTLE

A team will only ever go as far into the playoffs as their goaltending will take them.

Calvin Pickard saved not only the day but the series for Edmonton, coming in to replace Stuart Skinner as starter after losing the first two games to the Kings. He is 4-0 in these playoffs with a .893 save percentage and 2.93 goals-against average.

Vegas counters with Adin Hill, who, himself, was promoted to the starting role during the 2023 series against the Oilers after former Edmonton Oil Kings goaltender Laurent Brossoit reinjured himself in Game 3, ultimately leading them to the Cup. Hill is 4-2 in these playoffs, with a .880 save percentage and 2.83 goals-against average.

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WHO HAS THE EDGE?

The regular-season series is no help when it comes to who has the advantage here in the playoffs, as the Oilers and Golden Knights split it right down the middle, 2-2.

The standings say you’ve got to go with the Golden Knights, but the chip that’s been on the shoulder of the Connor & Co. since that Game 7 loss last June suggests otherwise.

Our pick: Oilers in seven.

E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge

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