LAS VEGAS — Traditionally, the Edmonton Oilers were known for their high-octane offense, often willing to concede goals knowing they could outscore opponents. Led by stars like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, they could rely on their scoring power to win high-scoring games.
However, their weak defense and inconsistent goaltending have historically prevented them from winning a Stanley Cup. This vulnerability seems to have changed as they advance to the Western Conference Final against either Dallas or Winnipeg.
The Oilers secured their second-round playoff series victory against the Golden Knights in five games by shutting them out for the final six periods of regulation and the first 7 minutes and 14 seconds of overtime. Vegas, a team known for scoring (ranking fifth in the regular season at 3.34 goals per game), struggled significantly to generate offense in the last two contests.
According to Natural Stat Trick, the Golden Knights managed a combined total of only 15 high-danger scoring opportunities and 37 overall scoring chances during those games.
“I believe it was our dedication to preventing odd-man rushes,” stated Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse. “Vegas excels at odd-man rushes and capitalizing on defensive errors. We made a conscious effort to maintain five players between our net and the puck and to get above their skilled defensemen.”
“Therefore, I think we put much more deliberate effort into getting pucks deep, playing a simple game, and building from there.”
This improved defense significantly eased the pressure on goaltender Stuart Skinner, who had faced struggles earlier in the playoffs, being benched after conceding 11 goals in the first two games of the opening series against Los Angeles.
Veteran goalie Calvin Pickard stepped in and contributed to the Oilers` six-game winning streak, which eliminated the Kings and gave them an early lead against the Golden Knights. However, Pickard was injured in Game 2 of the Vegas series, leading to Skinner`s return.
Skinner`s difficulties persisted in Game 3, where he allowed four goals and posted an .833 save percentage in the Golden Knights` sole win of the series, secured by Reilly Smith`s goal with just 0.4 seconds remaining.
Simply directing shots at a goaltender who appeared to be struggling seemed like a potential strategy for Vegas to win the series. However, the Golden Knights weren`t given many such opportunities because their attempts to enter the offensive zone were disrupted, and their space to maneuver once inside was limited.
“I believe we defended quite effectively in front of Skinner over the past two nights,” commented Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch. “Was it flawless? No. Were there still scoring chances? Certainly. But he made crucial saves in those final two games.”
Or, as Connor McDavid remarked about Skinner`s performance, “Hopefully, this silences many critics who have been talking about him.”
Tristan Blackwood