LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas and Edmonton are separated by nearly 1,500 miles and though rivalries often are based on geography, there’s nothing like the heat of the NHL playoffs to create animosity between teams.
The Oilers and Golden Knights meet Tuesday night at Vegas in Game 1 of their Western Conference series, the second time in three seasons they’re facing each other in the second round.
Edmonton certainly hasn’t forgotten about letting its 2023 series against the Golden Knights get away. Vegas broke the second-round series tie by winning Games 5 and 6 to advance and ultimately take the Stanley Cup.
“You’ve got to learn from your failures, and that was one of them,” said Oilers center Connor McDavid, a three-time Hart Trophy winner. “We definitely changed some things system-wise, but it was a good learning experience for sure.”
The Oilers have a different coach this time, Kris Knoblauch is now on the bench instead of Jay Woodcroft. Edmonton also is a deeper team, though it still leans heavily on McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, one of three finalists for the Hart this year.
Bruce Cassidy remains in charge of the Golden Knights, and though lessons can be drawn from that 2023 series, he said even the best plans can be put to rest depending on what happens in Game 1 and beyond.
Much of the Vegas core remains intact, though it’s not quite the same Golden Knights team from two years ago with players such as Jonathan Marchessault having moved to other locales.
But there has been a mindset established since the first year of the organization when the Golden Knights made the 2018 Stanley Cup Final before losing in five games to Washington. This is their fifth appearance in the second round for the 8-year-old franchise.
Such enormous success so quickly has made Vegas one of the league’s more polarizing teams.
“It seems like it annoys most of the hockey fans,” Cassidy said. “I guess that’s what happens when you do well. It’s probably the same in other sports. … To me, I look at it as a respectful annoyance because it means you’re doing something right. That’s the part I think the organization should be proud of.”
Game within the game
McDavid and Draisaitl might be the league’s most dynamic duo, and Knoblauch will have to decide if they will play together or be on separate lines.
“I’m sure throughout the series we will see both scenarios,” Knoblauch said.
Cassidy’s general rule in his three years in Vegas is to roll through his four lines to keep team chemistry intact and not match up lines.
“They have a couple of players that are exceptions to the rule, so you’re keeping an eye on that,” Cassidy said. “No disrespect to the rest of the group, but those guys are MVPs of the league, so you have to be mindful when they’re coming over the boards to try to sort of get the matchup you prefer.”
Hill’s big break came in Edmonton
Adin Hill became the Golden Knights’ starter when he was called to replace the injured Laurent Brossoit in Game 3 of that 2023 series at Edmonton. Hill then helped lead Vegas to the championship before last season sharing duties with Logan Thompson.
With Thompson in Washington, Hill is the unquestioned starter and shined in the final three games of the first-round series against Minnesota. He had a 2.08 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage, all Golden Knights victories.
Hill said he didn’t necessarily consider going in for Brossoit the turning point in his career, “but it’s cool to reflect on that.”
Pickard nearly a Knight
Calvin Pickard started 31 games for the Oilers this season and the final four of the first-round series against the Kings. Edmonton won all four and Pickard has a 2.81 GAA and .898 save percentage over that span.
He nearly was an original Golden Knight. Pickard was taken in the 2017 expansion draft from Colorado and even held a contest for fans to design his helmet. But Vegas claimed Malcolm Subban off waivers from Boston and soon after Pickard was traded to Toronto.
Knoblauch wouldn’t commit to staying with Pickard or going back to Stuart Skinner in this series.
“See you tomorrow,” Knoblauch said Monday.
From the beginning
William Karlsson was on that first Golden Knights team and has been a mainstay since. He moved from center to wing over the final three games of the first-round series against Minnesota to play with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone and help the Golden Knights win all three and eliminate the Wild.
“Pretty good players I was playing with, so made it easy,” Karlsson said.
Cassidy said he knew he wouldn’t get any blowback from Karlsson when he asked him to switch.
“No maintenance,” Cassidy said. “He’s going to do what’s best for the team and he gets to play with Jack and Stoney. That’s kind of a nice perk. Those are guys with the puck a lot. They make plays, so if that’s where he lands, he’s just going to play. That’s who he is. If he ends up back in the middle checking McDavid for seven straight games or whatever it is, that’s what he’s going to do.”
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