Morphinity 2.0 Posted May 2, 2023 Share Posted May 2, 2023 (1P) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (2P) Edmonton Oilers Wed., May 3: Oilers at Golden Knights, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, SN, TVAS REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS: Golden Knights: 51-22-9, 111 points Oilers: 50-23-9, 108 points SEASON SERIES: VGK 1-2-1; WPG 3-0-1 GAME BREAKERS: Golden Knights: Mark Stone. The Vegas captain missed the final three months of the regular season but returned for Game 1 against the Winnipeg Jets. He struggled in that first game, going a minus-3 in the loss. In the four wins that followed, Stone scored eight points and was plus-8. Not only that, Stone was a difference-maker in the defensive zone, flashing more and more signs of being the Selke Trophy candidate he has been in the past. Oilers: It is Connor McDavid. We don't want to overthink this. Yes, his running mate Leon Draisaitl leads the team in scoring with 11 points. But the Edmonton captain remains the most important player on the team. He makes everything go. McDavid has played 43 NHL postseason games and has 65 points (24 goals, 41 assists). His 1.51 points per playoff game is the fourth-best among forwards with at least 40 appearances. Wayne Gretzky (1.84), Draisaitl (1.63) and Mario Lemieux (1.61) are the players ahead of him. GOALTENDING: Golden Knights: Laurent Brossoit is the unquestioned starter for the Golden Knights, earning the job with a solid first-round performance that saw him go 4-1 with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. The 30-year-old started his NHL career with the Oilers, playing 28 games as a backup between the 2014-15 season and 2017-18. After three seasons with the Jets, he signed as a free agent with Vegas before the 2021-22 season. He has never played more than 24 games in an NHL season and was limited to 11 games (10 starts) this regular season because of an injury and a stint in the American Hockey League. Oilers: Stuart Skinner took the No. 1 job and ran with it in the second half of the season. The rookie was part of the 2023 NHL All-Star Game and finished the regular season with a 29-14-5 record with a .914 save percentage and 2.75 GAA. He has not been as good in the postseason, going 3-2 with a .890 save percentage and a 3.43 GAA. He was pulled in Game 4 and replaced by Jack Campbell, who was the No. 1 goalie at the start of the season. X FACTORS: Golden Knights: Brett Howden is a key piece of the third line, playing alongside Stone and Stephenson as his north-south game is perfectly suited for playoff hockey. Howden has four points (two goals, two assists) and his plus-8 leads the team. He has been a different player than the one in the regular season that had 13 points (six goals, seven assists) and was plus-5 in 54 regular-season games. Oilers: Evan Bouchard has had a coming-out party for the Oilers in the first round. After scoring 40 points (eight goals, 32 assists) in 82 regular-season games, Bouchard had 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in the first round, which leads all defensemen in the playoffs. He is the point man on a power play that is absolutely lethal and he has scored eight of his points on it. He provides a second level of attack behind McDavid and Draisatl. WILL WIN IF: Golden Knights: They limit their penalties and win the 5-on-5 battle. Vegas needs to play in the Edmonton defensive zone to keep the most potent players of the Oilers from being on the attack. It is also less likely that penalties are committed while playing offense, considering Edmonton scored on more than half its power-play opportunities Oilers: Their best players lead the way. When McDavid and Draisaitl are at the top of their game, the Oilers are an absolute wagon and matchups and depth don't really matter. When the top players struggle, however, opposing teams have found a way to establish the matchups they want and exploit the lack of offensive depth that has often been an Achilles' heel for this team. the 2020 Vezina Trophy winner. For them to succeed against the top seed he will have to be at his best. MORE: https://www.nhl.com/news/2023-nhl-playoffs-vegas-vs-edmonton-2nd-round-preview/c-344079374?tid=343982884 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VegasRanger Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 Quite a few Knights "Fans" asked me today who the Knights were playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siddious Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 2 minutes ago, VegasRanger said: Quite a few Knights "Fans" asked me today who the Knights were playing. In all fairness I also have no idea how the re-seeding technically works either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VegasRanger Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 Just now, siddious said: In all fairness I also have no idea how the re-seeding technically works either Their fans are lucky if they can spell hockey 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VegasRanger Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 Draisaitl with the hat trick. Even without McDavid on his line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VegasRanger Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 Draisaitl now has 4 goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieNextel305 Posted May 4, 2023 Share Posted May 4, 2023 Their fans may be doofy but man what an environment for a game. Was out there a few years back and saw them play. I wanna go back for a Rangers game there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karan Posted May 5, 2023 Share Posted May 5, 2023 On 5/3/2023 at 10:18 PM, VegasRanger said: Draisaitl now has 4 goals. This guy is a total beast in the playoffs. If/when the the Oilers win the Cup, this is the guy that'll win the Conn Smythe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc Posted May 6, 2023 Share Posted May 6, 2023 Draisaitl is unreal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abe Froman Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Must be nice to have a guy like that. All we have are playoff pussies. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsm7302 Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Edmonton came to play tonight. Wouldn't surprise me if this ends up a 5-4 game though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-ERIK- Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 13 goals already for draisaitl ,incredible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siddious Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 1 minute ago, -ERIK- said: 13 goals already for draisaitl ,incredible Mcjesus is easily the best player in the nhl today but I don’t think draisatl is far behind. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valriera Posted May 7, 2023 Share Posted May 7, 2023 Draisaitl is just like kreider in the sense that if he makes his mind up, he’s very difficult to stop doing what he’s doing because he’s huge and strong as a bull. they’re different of course in that draisaitl makes his mind up to play hockey and kreider can’t decide which tie to wear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrooksBurner Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 Remember when almost everyone was too worried about Eichel's injury and the cost (can't lose Kakko, can't lose Lafreniere, can't lose Chytil, can't lose yada yada yada)? He's crushing these playoffs and he'd be the best player on the Rangers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sod16 Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 3 hours ago, BrooksBurner said: Remember when almost everyone was too worried about Eichel's injury and the cost (can't lose Kakko, can't lose Lafreniere, can't lose Chytil, can't lose yada yada yada)? He's crushing these playoffs and he'd be the best player on the Rangers. And the Sabres would still have him but for Cro-Magnon mentality that is not uncommon among NHL managers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cash or Czech Posted May 9, 2023 Share Posted May 9, 2023 Glad I didn't watch the third, but the first two periods Edmonton just got wrecked. No defense, no goaltending. The forwards couldn't create. Hill was solid coming in cold off the bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albatrosss Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 Jezzus, this Hextall chick is hideous. NHL has to do a better job than hiring these ugly women if they want better ratings. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichieNextel305 Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 Not for nothing, but Parros has to suspend Pietrangelo here. It is as intent to injure as you can possibly get. You can’t have this in the game, I’m sorry. It’s not a hockey play. It’s late. It’s unprovoked. It’s stupid. Parros has to do his job here. I’m a Pietrangelo fan but this is a dangerous, undisciplined stupid move on his part. I can’t even call it a play. It isn’t one. It’s a stupid decision to try and injure a guy who has had a playoffs for the ages. Do your fucking job and suspend him. No excuses not to. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 (edited) Did they suspend Kane for his crosscheck to Pietrangelo’s face? Edit - I agree that chop should be a suspension. Edited May 11, 2023 by phillyb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 I'm not saying that I don't think it's a suspension, I'm saying that I think he won't be suspended because of who he is, lack of injury because it was a heavily padded area, and playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 Please win, Edmonton. I want an Oilers Stanley Cup and a Draisaitl Conn Smythe, please. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cash or Czech Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 I'm waiting for Dunny to say how this was child's play compared to the 80s and 90s. 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 3 minutes ago, Cash or Czech said: I'm waiting for Dunny to say how this was child's play compared to the 80s and 90s. "It was a love tap. My kid in peewee hits harder." 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted May 11, 2023 Share Posted May 11, 2023 (edited) The "Hassan Chop!" See who's old enough to remember that one... Edited May 11, 2023 by Ozzy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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