NHL series | A golden opportunity for the Oilers for the second match in Las Vegas

(Las Vegas) The EDMONTON OILERS NAVE A golden opportunity in Las Vegas.

Posted at 7:46 p.m.

Oilers are looking to take an advance of 2-0 in the playoffs far from the house for the first time since 2017.

The Alberta training won the first match at T-Mobile Arena by the 4-2 brand against the Golden Knights. It was only the third time in six years that the Oilers won the first match in a series, whether at home or abroad.

The Golden Knights, in series for the seventh time in eight years of existence, have never lost two consecutive games at home to start a series. The second match will take place on Thursday at T-Mobile.

“It’s a bit new to us. We are not usually in this situation, but it will be an important match on Thursday. Really, really important, admitted the captain of the Oilers, Connor McDavid on Wednesday.

“I expect Vegas to raise its level of play from a notch. We must match this, even be more desperate than them. It would be huge to leave with two victories. »»

As expected, McDavid has often seen Jack Eichel and his teammates Mark Stone and William Karlsson play against him in the first period. The captain of the Oilers took advantage of a rare absence of this trio on the ice to prepare the first goal of his family, scored by Corey Perry.

And Leon Draisaitl interposed between Eichel and McDavid when the latter entered the offensive zone from the first minute of the third period, which allowed McDavid to serve a pass to Bouchard. Draisaitl rushed to the net to score the reverse against the Knights Adin Hill goalkeeper and create equality.

“We are comfortable against anyone,” said McDavid. It is an excellent trio. Eichel is an excellent player, Stone is a good player, Karlsson, and I let you look at the rest of the list, it’s a good team. They have an excellent trio and a beautiful depth.

“Whatever the opponent, it will always be a challenge. last night, I found that our trio as a whole did a good job by controlling the game and creating opportunities. We found a way to score twice, which is a good thing. »»

In 2017, the Oilers took the lead 2-0 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, in the second round. The Ducks, with Perry in their training, had however won this 4-3 series.

Las Vegas will adjust to try to score more while containing McDavid and Draisaitl, but the star defender of the Knights, Alex Pietrangelo (sick), and the top scorer, Pavel Dorofeyev (unknown injury), did not skate on Wednesday after being absent from the first match.

In addition, it was perhaps a maneuver, but the head coach of the Oilers, Kris Knoblauch, mentioned on Wednesday of the possibility of distributing McDavid and Draisaitl on different trios.

“The most important thing is our team’s game. If the other trios had not played as well, I would probably have been more inclined to separate them, he said. But the fact that our three other trios play very well and that there is a certain chemistry allows me to keep them together.

“As we approach the second match, we may say that it is better to separate these two. The way everyone plays gives me many more options about what we are going to do. »»

Among the players who play brilliant way, we find Connor Brown, a lower training striker who plays as a leading player with four goals and two assistance in seven games.

Brown overflowed the defender of the Golden Knights Shea Theodore from the outside to score the goal of break up less than two minutes from the end of the first match.

“I have fun on the ice,” said Brown. That’s a bit for what we play, these great moments, these big games. »»

After only four games with Washington’s capital in 2022-2023 due to a knee injury, an operation and its rehabilitation, Brown signed a contract with the Oilers as a autonomous player.

It took time in the 31 -year -old Toronto to regain his form, but the winger played an important role in the route of the Oilers to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final last year, when the Oilers bowed in front of the Florida panthers.

McDavid said that Brown had played his best match with the Oilers in the sixth duel of the first round, against the Kings of Los Angeles.

“He really seems to flourish in the playoffs,” said McDavid. A huge goal last night, a magnificent goal. He has a lot of confidence at the moment, as it should be.

“He has played an important role in our group in the past two years. His work in inferiority allows him to contribute offensively from time to time. He is a leader in our locker room. He was excellent. »»