One thing that separates champions from pretenders is their ability to show a killer instinct. The Edmonton Oilers of the past had it, especially when they won their first Stanley Cup in 1984. In that Stanley Cup Final series, they had stolen home ice advantage from the much-feared New York Islanders, and rather than rest on their laurels, the Oilers turned up the heat and finished off the Islanders in three straight games at home to win their first Stanley Cup. The 2024-25 version of the Oilers reminds me a lot of that ’84 team, and if they can amp up their game at home against the Vegas Golden Knights, they could finish them off in four games and get some much-needed rest.
Skinner Needs to Step Up and Make Clutch Saves at the Right Time
When Grant Fuhr was winning Stanley Cups for the Oilers, the most important statistic to him and his teammates was wins. That seems to be the same for Calvin Pickard who literally stole Game 2 in this Round 2 series between the Oilers and Golden Knights. However, the Oilers were dealt some bad news before Game 3 when it was reported that Pickard is out of the Oilers’ lineup due to injury, and Stuart Skinner will be the starter.
Related: Calvin Pickard Out of Game 3, Skinner Gets the Start
Like he did against the Dallas Stars in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Skinner is going to have to dig deep and come up big for the Oilers. There’s no time for Skinner to dwell on his recent performance against the Los Angeles Kings in Games 1 and 2 of the Oilers’ first-round series where he lost both games. The time is now for him to grab the bull by the horns and step up in Pickard’s absence. Legends are born at times like these, and either Skinner comes out and gives his team confidence or folds under the pressure. I get the sense that his teammates and the fans in Edmonton are going to try and will Skinner to come through when they need him. It’s truly a make-or-break game for his career in Edmonton.
Oilers Need to Make a Statement at Home Against Vegas
Far too often in recent playoff history, including the 2017 second-round series against the Anaheim Ducks, the Oilers have let their foot off the gas at the most inopportune time. In that 2017 series, the Oilers won the first two games of the series but couldn’t close the Ducks out. Hopefully, they’ve learned from their mistakes, not only in that series but also against the Golden Knights in 2023 when they were tied 2-2 in that series but let it slip away, losing to the Golden Knights in six games.
I get a different feeling about this Oilers team now. It’s like they’ve learned from their past mistakes and painful losses, and are ready to embrace history. They’ve always had the skill physically, and now it seems that their focus and mental toughness have finally caught up. The Oilers are saying all the right things in mainstream media scrums and at press conferences, but you can be certain that behind closed doors, they’re singing a different tune. I could bet that in their dressing room, the Oilers are talking about coming out strong and not letting the Golden Knights off the hook in Games 3 and 4 of their second round Stanley Cup Playoff series.
Related: 3 Keys to the Oilers Winning Game 3 Against the Golden Knights
It wouldn’t surprise me if they come out strong and feed off the energy of the always loud and proud Rogers Place home crowd. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Edmonton fans crank up the noise even louder than the first series against the Kings, especially if they sense any weakness in the Golden Knights during Games 3 and 4.
Is This Finally Connor McDavid’s Time?
In a way, it almost doesn’t seem fair that Jack Eichel has a Stanley Cup ring before Connor McDavid. The two are forever linked after being drafted No. 1 and No. 2 in the 2015 NHL Draft that also includes Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, Kyle Connor and Noah Hanifin. It feels like this could be McDavid’s time, but there’s still a lot of hockey to be played. Even though McDavid and his good friend Leon Draisaitl haven’t been lighting up the scoresheet against the Golden Knights, they still stole the show in Game 2 with an incredible overtime winning goal.
With McDavid looking rested and focused, he may be due for a big breakout game at home in this series. The same goes for Draisaitl, although he looks like he could be a bit banged up. Regardless, both Oilers superstars and their well-rounded team look poised to make a statement against the Golden Knights at home. If they can win both games and finish off the Golden Knights, it might be time to start believing that this is their time.
