LAS VEGAS, NV - Viva Las Vegas.
The Oilers enter tonight's match against the Pacific Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights on a four-game losing skid. The club hopes to snap the unsuccessful streak Thursday, versus a team that they've beaten twice this season already.
Edmonton pounded Vegas 8-2 in November, then defeated the Golden Knights 3-2 in January after Darnell Nurse's overtime heroics.
"I think the two games that we played have been completely different," said Oilers Head Coach Todd McLellan. "The first one in Edmonton, we got them when they had some injuries, especially in goal, and we took advantage of that. The other one here was at the back end of a back-to-back for us and we really had to scratch and claw."
The Oilers are 10-5-0 against the Pacific Division this season.
KNIGHTS IN SHINING ARMOR
The Golden Knights have been an underdog story from the beginning. The squad is sitting pretty, idling in the third-overall spot in the standings League-wide. The team has gained notoriety for playing with speed and have a plethora of depth throughout the lineup, making them a threat on any given night.
"I think it was a motivated group from the beginning of the year," said McLellan. "I don't know whether or not they viewed themselves as cast-offs or unwanted, but if they did and captured that emotion, it's very powerful and it's worked well."
The Oilers bench boss believes the blueprint for Vegas' success begins in goal with Marc-Andre Fleury.
"He gives them a very stabilizing factor back there," said McLellan. "After that, I think their team is built around pace. They play the game extremely quick, and I'm not just talking about offensively. They defend quick, they get back and check properly, strip a lot of pucks and go the other way."
Vegas is 13-1-1 against the Pacific Division, with both losses coming against the Edmonton Oilers.
LUSTRE OF LAS VEGAS
Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse scored the overtime winner in the Oilers 3-2 win against Vegas in January. The defenceman cherishes the memory and knows what type of effect the vibe of Vegas can have on a team.
"It's a great atmosphere," said the defender. "Even just based on the first game, you saw how rowdy the crowd was. We have a lot of fans that make the trip here to Vegas to watch. It's easy to get up for those games."
Although the atmosphere is captivating, that influence can have either a positive or negative result, depending on which team seizes the spirit.
"We'd like to get off to a good start," said McLellan. "The building, we've experienced it once now, it has a special energy to it. It's very vibrant and has a lot of life to it. That can work for or against us."
Vegas has scored 55 first-period goals this season. The club is 22-3-0 when lighting the lamp first.
"We want to execute well early," said McLellan. "We've got to get on our toes and not fade late in our shifts."
LINEUP NOTES
Tonight's lineup will be made more apparent at warm-ups.
-- Paul Gazzola, EdmontonOilers.com
