The Edmonton Oilers head to Las Vegas tonight for what could serve as an early playoff preview, as both teams battle for position in the Pacific Division with just 10 games remaining in the regular season.
The Oilers and Golden Knights sit separated by a single point, fighting for second place in the division behind Anaheim, which holds a five-point lead with a game in hand. For Edmonton to catch the Ducks, they would need to go 8-2 in their final stretch while Anaheim manages just 5-5-1 — making second place the most realistic target for the Oilers.
Goaltending Struggles Define March
Both teams have struggled between the pipes this month. Vegas netminders have posted an .872 save percentage in March, allowing 35 goals on 275 shots, while Edmonton's goalies have been even worse at .866, surrendering 38 goals on 285 shots.
The difference lies in defensive structure. According to Clear Sight Analytics, the Golden Knights rank third in expected goals against at five-on-five this season, compared to Edmonton's 26th-place ranking. In actual goals against, Vegas sits 26th while the Oilers languish at 31st.
"The challenge for Vegas is that it is difficult to defend much better than they have been," noted hockey analysts. "Their goalies have to make saves, and right now they aren't."
Vegas in Franchise-Worst Slump
The timing couldn't be better for Edmonton to face a struggling Vegas squad. The Golden Knights are mired in one of their worst stretches in franchise history, posting a .308 points percentage in March with an ugly 4-9 record while being outscored 39-26.
Vegas has managed just five goals in their last five games, including two shutout losses. Their offensive woes extend beyond goaltending, with forwards combining for a league-worst 2.00 goals per game in March.
Star players are struggling across the board. Jack Eichel has just two points in his last seven games, while Mark Stone remains goalless in seven games since returning from injury. Only Pavel Dorofeyev has provided consistent offense with four goals in seven games.
Oilers' Speed Advantage
Edmonton holds a significant speed advantage that could prove decisive. The Oilers have recorded 500-plus more bursts of 20-22 mph than Vegas this season, with their top-end speed bursts (22+ mph) leading 219-58.
"Don't underestimate the speed of the Oilers," analysts note. Even removing Connor McDavid's league-leading 127 bursts of 22+ mph, Edmonton would still rank seventh in the NHL with 92 such bursts.
McDavid Milestone Watch
McDavid recently became the 54th player to reach 1,200 career points, accomplishing the feat in just 784 games — third-fastest in NHL history. He needs 11 more points to crack the top 50 all-time, passing Dino Ciccarelli, Vincent Damphousse, Bernie Nicholls, and Bobby Clarke.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also hit a milestone, recording his 800th career point against Utah. He becomes the seventh Oiler to reach that mark in orange and blue.
Tonight's Matchup
Connor Ingram gets the start for Edmonton after stopping 24 of 26 shots in a victory over Vegas 18 days ago. The Oilers have dominated this matchup recently, winning eight of their last nine meetings including playoffs.
The Golden Knights enter having been outshot 157-99 in their last five games but managing just a 3.2% shooting percentage. Their early-game struggles are well-documented — they've been outscored 75-59 in first periods this season.
With both teams playing again in 10 days, these two crucial matchups will largely determine which squad earns home-ice advantage in what appears to be an inevitable first-round playoff meeting.
Game information and statistics courtesy of OilersNation.
