Golden Knights vs Oilers: Game 6 Showdown

The second-round playoff battle featuring the Golden Knights vs Oilers could end today, if Vegas dominates again. Game 5 was ruled by power play goals as the Oilers scored all three of their tallies with the extra man advantage. Connor McDavid got two of them, with Zach Hyman gathering the other. For the Golden Knights, they scored two power play goals within 29 seconds to gather the momentum to sink the Oilers. Captain Mark Stone fired a power move right in the crease to score the game tying goal at 14:05 of the second stanza. Philip Broberg was in the box for holding. Then, Mattias Janmark was called for high sticking at the 13:33 mark allowing the Vegas power play to take the lead on a goal by Reilly Smith at 14:34.

They weren’t done yet, and completed the three goal team hat-trick within 1:29 when Nicolas Hague gave the Golden Knights a two-goal lead at 15:34. That literally sunk the Oilers hopes for the game.

Game 6 Showdown with Golden Knights vs Oilers

With Vegas taking a one-game lead in the series and holding home-ice advantage, the Oilers will be feeling the pressure to stay alive in the series. They know they’re the last Canadian team in the playoffs. They know they can’t take excessive penalties if they wish to win Game 6. Can the offensive-minded Oilers get back to outscoring the Vegas team? According to Hyman, “You have to win two games in a row, and we’ve won two games in a row I don’t know how many times this season? We’re definitely capable of it. There’s strong confidence in this room and we do our best when our backs are against the wall, so we’re excited for the opportunity.”

This has been a back-and-forth series with both teams scoring 17 goals. Twice the Golden Knights have been held to a single goal, with both ending in defeat. If the Edmonton defense can step up again and hold the Vegas team down in the scoring column, there may be a Game 7.

Goalie Decision For Edmonton

Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft has yet to announce his starting netminder for the pivotal Game 6 contest. He told the press, “I’m going to reserve the right to take the time that we have before we have to make that decision.” Stuart Skinner has been pulled twice in this series, and three times in the postseason. He has responded well after losses in this series, so one would assume that Woodcroft would go with Skinner in this important game. The Oilers are confident they can come back to force a Game 7. They hold a  4-0 record with eight goals allowed following a loss this postseason. When you have weapons like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at your disposal, anything can happen.

Around Full Press Hockey

NHL: Arizona Coyotes New Arena Approaches Fateful Vote

NHL:  NHL All-Star Game Thoughts and Possible Changes

NFL: What Eddie Robinson Told Doug Williams After He Made History 35 Years Ago

Full Press Bets:  The Five Most Intriguing NFL Schedules for 2023

PODCAST: Full Press Hockey Weekly Ep 55: Stanley Cup Playoffs, Road Warriors, and More

WANT MORE PODCASTS? Check Out Some Of The Latest From Around The FPC Network

The Pressure is on the Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights will be forced to win in Edmonton to close out this series and move on to the Western Conference Final against either the Seattle Kraken or Dallas Stars. The Golden Knights have the skill and confidence to do just that, but will they? One must be aware that Connor McDavid wants this series badly and will be at his best to show it. He has four goals, including three power play tallies, and five assists in this series. The Golden Knights must determine how to not allow McDavid to beat them. Leon Draisaitl has six goals (four in Game 1) and one assist, along with three power play goals.

In Game 3, a 5-1 victory for Vegas, they held both McDavid and Draisaitl off the scoresheet. While that isn’t necessarily a formula for success, it’s not a bad plan. Executing it is the issue. Both these super-talented players know their season is on the line and know how to perform under pressure.

Final Thoughts

This series may come down to which team makes the most mistakes. Home ice may be nice but in the playoffs, it means very little. That was proven so far in the postseason, as the road team has been dominant. Certainly going into Game 6 with a one-game lead helps the Golden Knights. They know they will be going back to Sin City for Game 7. What it boils down to is do they smell blood enough to finish off the Oilers?

We should know soon enough. Now, let’s see how this series ends.