Vegas advanced by defeating Minnesota in 6 games; Edmonton eliminated Los Angeles, also in 6
The Vegas Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers are gearing up for a fierce showdown in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Both teams advanced after clinching their respective series in six games on Thursday night . Vegas edged out the Minnesota Wild with a nail-biting 3-2 win in Game 6. Meanwhile, Edmonton wrapped up its series with a high-scoring 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.
Vegas Golden Knights Holds Home-Ice Advantage
As the top seed in the Pacific Division, the Golden Knights will enjoy home-ice advantage against the Oilers, who hold the No. 3 seed. This best-of-seven series promises explosive action between two Western Conference powerhouses.
Eichel and Hertl Lead Vegas Attack
Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl were the standout performers for Vegas in the opening round. Each posted five points — Eichel with one goal and four assists, and Hertl with three goals and two assists.
Supporting them were Mark Stone and Shea Theodore, each adding four points (two goals, two assists). Brett Howden also impressed with three goals in the series.
Goaltender Adin Hill played all six games, going 4-2 with a 2.83 goals-against average and a .880 save percentage. Akira Schmid made one relief appearance and stopped nine shots.
Oilers Rely on McDavid’s Brilliance
Connor McDavid was on fire for the Oilers, registering 11 points with two goals and nine assists. Leon Draisaitl followed closely with 10 points, including three goals. Defenseman Evan Bouchard added seven points, thanks to four goals and three assists.
In net, Calvin Pickard stepped up in Game 3 and won all four of his starts, finishing with a 2.93 GAA and .893 save percentage. Stuart Skinner struggled in his two games, allowing 11 goals and posting an .810 save percentage.
Regular Season Head-to-Head Was Even
The teams split their four regular-season meetings 2-2-0. Vegas forward Ivan Barbashev notched five points, including two goals. Noah Hanifin and Jack Eichel added four points each. Hill started all four games in goal, finishing with two wins, a 2.82 GAA, and one shutout.
For Edmonton, Draisaitl led the charge against Vegas with four points. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor Brown each added three, while Zach Hyman netted two goals. McDavid, however, was limited to just one assist in the series. Skinner went 1-2-0 in three games, while Pickard secured a 3-2 win in his only start.
Familiar Foes in the Playoffs
This isn’t the first playoff meeting between these two. They clashed last year in the second round, with the Golden Knights winning the series in six games. Vegas went on to lift the Stanley Cup in 2023 but were knocked out in the first round last season.
Oilers Look to Rebound from Last Year’s Final Loss
Edmonton is chasing redemption after reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 but falling short in Game 7 against the Florida Panthers. With McDavid and Draisaitl in top form, the Oilers aim to take it one step further this time.
High Stakes, High Intensity
Both squads enter this matchup with star power and postseason momentum. With the series starting in Las Vegas, fans can expect a thrilling clash as the battle for the West heats up.
