GDT: WCSF | G1 | Oilers @ Golden Knights | 5.3.23 | 7:30PM | SN

[CROTT]

Image Credit: Eric Poole / @Epoole88

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Series: New Series
Game Day: May 3, 2023
Start Time: 7:30PM MT
TV: SN / Radio: 630 CHED
Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas NV

The Series:
Game 1 - May 3rd, 7:30PM MT
Game 2 - May 6th, 5:00PM MT
Game 3 - May 8th, 6:30 PM MT
Game 4 - May 10th, 8:00 PM MT
Game 5 - May 12th, TBD
Game 6 - May 14th, TBD
Game 7 - May 16th, TBD​

How things came to be:
The Golden Knights won the 2022-2023 Pacific divison tittle securing home ice in the series, and beat the Winnipeg Jets in their WCQF series 4-1.

The Oilers finished second in the Pacific division, and beat the Los Angeles Kings in their WCQF series 4-2.

Woodcroft when asked about possible line up changes by the media for the 1000th time.

Line ups:

Oilers:
Oilers Roster and Playoff Stats

Evander Kane - Connor McDavid - Leon Draisaitl
Zach Hyman - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins - Nick Bjugstad
Warren Foegele - Ryan McLeod - Derek Ryan
Klim Kostin - (Jay's Choice From above) - Kailer Yamamoto

Mattias Ekholm - Evan Bouchard
Darnell Nurse - Cody Ceci
Brett Kulak - Vinny Desharnais
Philip Broberg

Stuart Skinner

Golden Knights:
Golden Knights Roster and Playoff Stats

Ivan Barbashev - Jack Eichel - Johnathan Marchessault
Reilly Smith - William Karlsson - Phil Kessel
Mike Amadio - Chandler Stephenson - Mark Stone
Brett Howden - Nicolas Roy - Keegan Kolesar

Alec Martinez - Alex Pietrangelo
Brayden McNabb - Shea Theodore
Nicolas Hague - Zach Whitecloud

Laurent Brossoit

Preview:
(Via Oilers.com)

Not posted yet, here's yesterdays News and interviews

Click to read more...

 

[lopper]

Let’s finally win a game 1 pretty please!

 

[McFlyingV]

Hoping Janmark can draw back in soon. 11-7 doesn't make a ton of sense with Broberg averaging under 6 minutes per game, Vinny bounced back well after a rough couple games and if he struggles again can lean on the top 4 or sub in Broberg the following game. Can still throw out McDavid or Draisaitl with some of the bottom 6 wingers for extra shifts, and Janmark brings a nice speed + PK element to his game. Thought he was playing very well in the playoff game he got injured.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

LFG Boys!

 

[Navx94]

Letssss go! Win game one for once

 

[Oilers in NS]

wonder if Janmark GTG?

Gotta go in and check out Leafs board for entertainment. Actually hoping for Florida. Only way we can obtain home ice

 

[94 Oil Drops]

@AlanHUK must be Bob Stauffer's burner account.

I'm going to the tailgate party tonight! My aunt and cousin are visiting from Ontario. They're super excited to go with my immediate family and I.

This series is going to be a wild west shootout. Vegas isn't as good defensively as the Kings but they can score more goals. Wouldn't be surprised if we see a couple 6-5 wins. Oilers win in 5 providing they give their very best in the series. Let's get this show on the road! The quest for the cup continues.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Jump on them early, don't allow them to get comfortable. This is a good team but the Jets proved in game 1 they're not invincible.

 

[Sra1974]

Hoping Janmark can draw back in soon. 11-7 doesn't make a ton of sense with Broberg averaging under 6 minutes per game, Vinny bounced back well after a rough couple games and if he struggles again can lean on the top 4 or sub in Broberg the following game. Can still throw out McDavid or Draisaitl with some of the bottom 6 wingers for extra shifts, and Janmark brings a nice speed + PK element to his game. Thought he was playing very well in the playoff game he got injured.

Agree with wanting Janmark back but the nice part is with the extra day of rest and going 11-7 you can play McDrai a bit more and not worry too much about it.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

GAME DAY!!! Let's Go Oilers. Come out strong and find a way. Set the tone.

 

[GMofOilers]

This Vegas team going to be a tougher challenge than LA. Their defence is way better and they are a way bigger team.

Skinner remains a issue.

Hopefully can get a split in Vegas.

 

[McDrai]

Hoping Janmark can draw back in soon. 11-7 doesn't make a ton of sense with Broberg averaging under 6 minutes per game, Vinny bounced back well after a rough couple games and if he struggles again can lean on the top 4 or sub in Broberg the following game. Can still throw out McDavid or Draisaitl with some of the bottom 6 wingers for extra shifts, and Janmark brings a nice speed + PK element to his game. Thought he was playing very well in the playoff game he got injured.

I love the 11/7 format for our team right now for 2 reasons:

1. It decreases average minutes of defensemen and is a good insurance policy in case Desharnais has a bad game. The playoffs can be physically taxing for dmen as they take so many hits from forwards on the forecheck. If the top-end guys can play a couple less minutes then that will add up in a big way down the line.

2. It makes it hard for the opposition to match up with McDrai since they are taking shifts on the 4th line. A 4th line of Kostin-McDrai-Yamamoto was looking like another 1st line last game. What a nightmare situation for the opposition.

I think the best play would be to swap out Foegele with Janmark as Foegele hasn’t contributed much on the scoresheet and I don’t believe he PK’s either.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

I love the 11/7 format for our team right now for 2 reasons:

1. It decreases average minutes of defensemen and is a good insurance policy in case Desharnais has a bad game. The playoffs can be physically taxing for dmen as they take so many hits from forwards on the forecheck. If the top-end guys can play a couple less minutes then that will add up in a big way down the line.

2. It makes it hard for the opposition to match up with McDrai since they are taking shifts on the 4th line. A 4th line of Kostin-McDrai-Yamamoto was looking like another 1st line last game. What a nightmare situation for the opposition.

I think the best play would be to swap out Foegele with Janmark as Foegele hasn’t contributed much on the scoresheet and I don’t believe he PK’s either.

Foegele has been an abolute menace. No way we take him out.

I agree with 11-7

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

This will be a more difficult series than we think but we will prevail. Win game 1 and take it from there. Let’s break Croissant like we did Markstrom and Korpisalo.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

This will be a more difficult series than we think but we will prevail. Win game 1 and take it from there. Let’s break Croissant like we did Markstrom and Korpisalo.

I strangely think this might be an easier series than the Kings. I honestly thought the Kings are the 2nd hardest matchup for us after the Avs. Sorta think we'll cut through them like we did with the Flames last year. The Kings had some semblance of top-end talent that could smother our top end, the Knights have absolutely nothing that can.

I take Generational Talent over depth. Danault and Kopitar are way more formidable than anything the Knights can throw our way.

Sorta half expecting McDavid to explode with a record tying series.. like 19 points in 5 games.

Hope I'm right!

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I strangely think this might be an easier series than the Kings. I honestly thought the Kings are the 2nd hardest matchup for us after the Avs. Sorta think we'll cut through them like we did with the Flames last year. The Kings had some semblance of top-end talent that could smother our top end, the Knights have absolutely nothing that can.



Hope I'm right!

Agreed, the Kings definitely gave us more than we could handle. Game 4 obviously a huge turning point because if the Oilers lose that game the series is finished. There's no question the Knights are a good team but I'm not sure they scare me as much as the Kings did.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Agreed, the Kings definitely gave us more than we could handle. Game 4 obviously a huge turning point because if the Oilers lose that game the series is finished. There's no question the Knights are a good team but I'm not sure they scare me as much as the Kings did.

Absolutely.

The Knights are likely going to have to do one of 2 things that they don't characteristically do.

They're gonna have to try the 1-3-1 to make use of their defense advantage?
Or we'll force them to run and gun and play some vintage Oilers hockey. Either way I think we're a matchup nightmare for them.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

The Knights are likely going to have to do one of 2 things that they don't characteristically do.

They're gonna have to try the 1-3-1 to make use of their defense advantage?
Or we'll force them to run and gun and play some vintage Oilers hockey. Either way I think we're a matchup nightmare for them.

The Kings also have a much better goalie than the Knights do. Jets put up very little resistance against the Knights whereas the Kings made us battle-tested. I think that's a factor too.

 

[9GWG9]

Enough time to lick wounds already. Set the tone and take game one boys!

Thinking it will be a north south goaltending battle.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Oilers are 1-7 in Game 1s in the McDavid era

can we finally end our awful starts in series?
5-3 Oilers

 

[Fourier]

I love the 11/7 format for our team right now for 2 reasons:

1. It decreases average minutes of defensemen and is a good insurance policy in case Desharnais has a bad game. The playoffs can be physically taxing for dmen as they take so many hits from forwards on the forecheck. If the top-end guys can play a couple less minutes then that will add up in a big way down the line.

2. It makes it hard for the opposition to match up with McDrai since they are taking shifts on the 4th line. A 4th line of Kostin-McDrai-Yamamoto was looking like another 1st line last game. What a nightmare situation for the opposition.

I think the best play would be to swap out Foegele with Janmark as Foegele hasn’t contributed much on the scoresheet and I don’t believe he PK’s either.

Even if you run 12-6 you can still double shift McDavid and Draisaitl a bit. Just get a feel for which bottom 6 forward is having a quiet game.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

The Kings also have a much better goalie than the Knights do. Jets put up very little resistance against the Knights whereas the Kings made us battle-tested. I think that's a factor too.

I also have another theory:

I think you need at least a couple of absolutely elite players that can 'compete for individual hardware' to be able to compete for a cup.

The closest Vegas has to that is an injured Mark Stone who isn't playing 100%, and a past-his-prime Pietrangelo.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

Oilers are 1-7 in Game 1s in the McDavid era

can we finally end our awful starts in series?
5-3 Oilers

I'm thinking we're due for a game 1 win. It'll be awesome to see a whole bunch of Oiler fans in the stands at t mobile. Home ice advantage doesn't seem to mean a whole lot these days anyway.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I also have another theory:

I think you need at least a couple of absolutely elite players that can 'compete for individual hardware' to be able to compete for a cup.

The closest Vegas has to that is an injured Mark Stone who isn't playing 100%, and a past-his-prime Pietrangelo.

The Oilers overcame Kopitar/Denault, I think they can overcome Mark Stone.

No disrespect to Stone of course, I'd welcome him onto the team with open arms.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

The Oilers overcame Kopitar/Denault, I think they can overcome Mark Stone.

No disrespect to Stone of course, I'd welcome him onto the team with open arms.

Yup!

I live in Montreal and saw a LOT of Danault. He's so crazy underrated, even by the media and fans here who were upset he didn't bring elite offense to go with being the best defensive center in the league.

I think Danault was a way bigger challenge than Stone. Also head-to-head, Danault completely skunked Stone limiting him to 0 points and 7 shots in a 6 game series.