Following a frustrating 5-2 defeat in Game 3, which put the Vegas Golden Knights behind 2-1 in their first-round series against the Minnesota Wild, doubts began to surface and questions began to arise.
The Golden Knights responded, winning the next three games to close out the series in six. With the Wild now in the rearview mirror, Vegas sets its sights on Round 2 with the Edmonton Oilers on the docket.
Related: Previewing the Golden Knights’ Round 2 Tilt With Edmonton Oilers
Entering Round 2 is nothing new for the Golden Knights, who have reached this stage five times in their eight-season history. The last time they made Round 2 was in 2023, when they faced the Oilers, too, securing a 4-2 series win en route to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
This season, the Golden Knights and Oilers find themselves in the same position as 2023. However, the teams look different this time, and that’s what we’ll dive into first—a quick flashback to that thrilling 2023 series.
Flashback to Dramatic 2023 2nd-Round Series
The 2023 series between the Oilers and Golden Knights was as intense and chaotic as it was skilled, featuring 312 combined penalty minutes and multiple suspensions that sidelined players on both sides.
The on-ice play remained at an elite level, with star power and pace driving the series from start to finish. Now, with the stakes just as high, the two teams are set to clash once again under familiar circumstances. Here’s how the 2023 series unfolded, game by game:
Game 1: 6-4 VGK
Game 2: 5-1 EDM
Game 3: 5-1 VGK
Game 4: 4-1 EDM
Game 5: 4-3 VGK
Game 6: 5-2 VGK
The 2023 series brought out the teams’ physicality and hunger to move on, which gave fans across the NHL world a highly-entertaining series. It also renewed the spotlight on the long-running connection between Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, the two top picks from the 2015 NHL Entry Draft who found themselves on opposite sides of a heated showdown.
Eichel came out on top in 2023 with nine points which propelled the Golden Knights to a series win and eventually a Stanley Cup. McDavid had 10 points in those six games and has yet to reach glory. He fell one win away from being a Stanley Cup champion last year as the Oilers nearly erased 3-0 deficit in last year’s Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers but just came up short in Game 7. There is no lack of momentum for either side.
The 2023 series between two of the top teams in the Pacific Division lived up to the hype, and this year has the potential to do so as well. The teams just need to deliver.
What to Expect in Series Rematch
With Game 1 puck drop at T-Mobile Arena slated for Tuesday, the stage is set once again for Oilers and Golden Knights. But what can we expect to look familiar from that thrilling 2023 series and what might look different this time around?
For starters, there’s no question McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will continue to be forces against Vegas. You can’t shut them down entirely. You can only hope to contain them. William Karlsson has had success frustrating McDavid and Draisaitl in past matchups, and Eichel has shown he can rise to the challenge defensively as well, but it will be a tall order for the Golden Knights to completely neutralize them.
The 2023 playoffs also served as a breakout moment for Adin Hill, revealing the kind of goaltender he can be deep into the spring. He went 11-4-0 with a .932 save percentage and a 2.17 goals-against average, backstopping the Golden Knights to a Stanley Cup. While Hill wasn’t at his best in Round 1 against the Wild, the opportunity is there for him to rebound in a big way as Vegas enters this much-anticipated clash.
Expectations are high for this to be a fast, physical, and highly-entertaining series, the kind of hockey the Stanley Cup Playoffs are built on. Round 1 delivered on that front. Now, all eyes are on Round 2 to see if it can match the intensity and drama.
Golden Knights in Store For Big Tilt With Oilers
The rivalry from 2023 still looms large, setting the stage for what should be an electric Round 2 matchup. With star talent on both sides and plenty on the line, this series has all the makings of a playoff classic. Game 1 is set for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. PDT at T-Mobile Arena.
