Someone is breaking out of their post-Olympic funk tonight.
On Sunday, the Vegas Golden Knights hope to kick their playoff push into another gear when they face the Edmonton Oilers.
Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, NV
Date: Sunday, March 8
Time: 6:30 PST
How To Watch: ESPN
Radio: 1340 AM, 94.7 FM
Friday’s loss to the Minnesota Wild put a dent in the Golden Knights’ playoff hopes, as they fell behind the Anaheim Ducks for control of the Pacific Division. With the recent struggles now costing Vegas in the standings, the time to turn things around has to start soon. The Oilers are a real possibility for the Golden Knights in the first round, so a potential playoff preview is the perfect place to get back in the saddle.
Here is what to know about the latest unexpected chapter in this rivalry.
Snap out of it
The Golden Knights and Oilers were expected to be duking it out for the Pacific crown, but both have hit serious lulls.
Vegas has lost four of their six games after the Olympic break, while Edmonton comes in as losers of six of their last eight. Both teams are coming in to this matchup in extremely vulnerable spots, and a prolonged skid could cause irreparable damage to postseason ambitions. As a result, expect desperate playoff-style hockey from two teams that are trying to preserve their spots in the bracket.
Track meet
A major problem that has come from both teams is an inability to keep pucks out of their net.
Goaltending has been a long-standing issue of the Oilers, while the Golden Knights have seen a steep decline in that department this season. With the offensive firepower both teams possess at the top of their lineups, this has genuine potential to see double-digit goals between both sides. Timely saves have been a tough ask, but they are a necessity to win this one.
Another one back
The Golden Knights have at least started to get better in the health department, and another player is back in the fold tonight.
As stated by general manager Kelly McCrimmon, forward Brett Howden is expected to return to the lineup tonight, and morning skate saw him replacing Reilly Smith on the second line with Mitch Marner and Pavel Dorofeyev. Howden’s new linemates were the goal scorers for Vegas on Friday, so setting up shop with arguably the best line at the Golden Knights’ disposal could put him on the fast track to getting back in the game. Along with trade deadline acquisitions Cole Smith and Nic Dowd, Howden should add another element to the team that hopefully soon translates to wins.