Golden Knights-Oilers season series: 3 of 4 games were close
The Golden Knights’ second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, if their regular-season meetings were any indication, should be spectacular.
Two of the four matchups went to overtime. A third was decided by one goal. The two played each other tight, their differing strengths — the Oilers’ incredible offense, the Knights’ structured defense — offering a fun clash of styles.
What that means in the playoffs is anyone’s guess. The Knights lost the season series 1-2-1 but played three of the games without captain Mark Stone. Edmonton’s best players were available for all four games, and it showed.
Here’s a recap of their regular-season games:
Nov. 19
Oilers 4, Knights 3 (OT)
Rogers Place
This one came down to the NHL’s leading scorer, Edmonton captain Connor McDavid, making a play 1:56 into overtime.
McDavid got the puck in the neutral zone, zoomed past defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, protected the puck against Chandler Stephenson and chipped a shot past goaltender Adin Hill for the win.
That finished off a two-point night for McDavid, who also assisted right wing Zach Hyman’s go-ahead goal for Edmonton 38 seconds into the third period. Stone tied the score 3-3 10:55 later.
It was Stone’s second goal, after he scored the fourth penalty-shot goal in team history in the second period. It was the first penalty-shot attempt of his career. He asked for goaltender Logan Thompson for advice on the bench before beating goaltender Stuart Skinner five-hole.
Jan. 14
Oilers 4, Knights 3
T-Mobile Arena
This was the only high-scoring game between the teams to feature a scoreless period.
It was the third, as the Oilers held onto a one-goal lead despite playing for the second time in two nights. Goaltender Jack Campbell made nine saves in the final period to seal the win.
Edmonton jumped to a 2-0 lead 1:42 into the game after goals from former Knight Mattias Janmark and center Leon Draisaitl. Right wing Keegan Kolesar scored with 1:14 left in the first to cut the Knights’ deficit to 2-1, and the teams then alternated goals in a wild second period.
This was the only matchup in which the Oilers’ top-ranked power play didn’t score a goal. The Knights took only one penalty, a William Carrier tripping minor in the first period.
March 25
Knights 4, Oilers 3 (OT)
Rogers Place
Nicolas Roy was given too much time.
The Knights center received a pass from center Jack Eichel in front of the crease in overtime and had all the time in the world to pick out his shot with no Edmonton defender in sight. Roy made some dazzling stick-handling moves, then put his own rebound past Skinner for his team’s only win against the Oilers.
The goal ended an incredible back-and-forth battle. The Knights took the lead three times. Edmonton responded each time with a goal.
Eichel, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft behind McDavid, finished with a game-high three points.
March 28
Oilers 7, Knights 4
T-Mobile Arena
Edmonton was ready when the teams met again three days later.
Behind a 3-for-3 performance on the power play, the Oilers scored seven goals, tied for the most the Knights gave up in a game this season. The three power-play goals also matched a season high.
The Knights trailed 3-2 after the first period and tied the game 3:13 into the second on a goal from right wing Michael Amadio. But Edmonton was relentless. The Oilers scored three straight goals to finish the period, and defenseman Brett Kulak then scored 4:24 into the third.
Goaltender Jonathan Quick, lifted for Laurent Brossoit for the final 20 minutes, somehow finished with a higher save percentage (.824) than Skinner (.818).
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.