PROJECTED LINEUP: Oilers at Golden Knights (Game 2)

LAS VEGAS, NV – The Edmonton Oilers look to bring a 2-0 lead back to Oil Country using the same lineup that’s earned them five straight comeback victories when they face the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of their Second Round series at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday night.

Following yesterday’s optional practice, the Oilers were at full strength for Thursday’s pre-game skate with their lines and defence pairings looking the same from Tuesday’s 4-2 win in Game 1, while Calvin Pickard was once again in the starter’s net ahead of making his sixth consecutive start as the only undefeated goalie in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“It's obviously the biggest stage,” Pickard said. “I like to think I'm doing my job for the most part, but we're playing well as a team, and we're really connected. I just want to continue to do my job."

The netminder has done just that with a 5-0-0 record, 2.76 GAA and .891 save percentage this postseason, making the necessary 17 saves on 19 shots on Tuesday night to backstop the Oilers to their fifth straight win after the offence clicked for four unanswered goals.

After taking some time off on Wednesday, the Oilers are feeling sharp and energized following this morning’s pre-game skate for their opportunity tonight to take a stranglehold on the series before heading back to Edmonton for Games 3 & 4 at Rogers Place.

“Obviously, you're playing every other day, but there's a lot of rest time,” Pickard said. “We took it pretty easy yesterday. We got some more energy back in us and got a good skate together this morning, and we’re ready to go do it again.”

The Oilers have looked locked in defensively over their five straight victories, with their defence doing a good job alleviating pressure in their own zone with a good first pass that's leading to more offensive zone time.

"I think in the last game, it was breaking the puck out. We didn't spend much time in our own zone," Pickard said. "We got the pucks up to the forwards quickly, and for that reason, we had a lot of o-zone time and we kind of grinded them down there and they were just trying to get it out and then change, then we just transitioned back.

"So the last two periods are definitely our game, and we want to get back to that right away."

"I think it's five guys sticking to their details and doing the right thing in those moments," Leon Draisaitl added. "Our D do a great job moving the puck. The forwards were back with tight support, and we broke the puck out really well, which led to not a lot of time in our own end. That's the goal again tonight."

When the Oilers do have to track back into their own zone, the forwards are doing an effective job at working as a five-man unit to shut down the Golden Knights' offence that is especially dangerous off the rush, which helped contribute to their 2-0 lead in the first period of Game 2.

"Obviously, forwards tracking back gives our D the freedom to surf lines and be aggressive," Draisaitl said. "So it's a five-man system that's being played all over the ice. So it's just about making sure that our little details are dialled."

View the Oilers Projected Game 2 Lineup vs. Vegas below:

Draisaitl - McDavid - Perry
Kane - Nugent-Hopkins - Hyman
Frederic - Henrique - Brown
Podkolzin - Janmark - Arvidsson

Nurse - Bouchard
Walman - Klingberg
Kulak - Emberson

Pickard
Skinner