Golden Knights Gameday 74: Draisaitl Display: Lines and Notes vs Oilers

The Vegas Golden Knights (46-21-6, 98 points) can clinch a playoff spot tonight in their game against the Edmonton Oilers (42-23-9, 93 points) at home at 7:00 p.m. The VGK can book a ticket back to the playoffs in several different ways. A win makes their chances much more likely.

After a one-game absence due to personal reasons, Alec Martinez will be back with the club, and Jonathan Quick is expected to start. 

What to Watch For

Mini-Series

The Golden Knights have just nine games left in their regular season schedule, but six of them are part of a home-and-home series vs a playoff-bound team. The VGK play the Edmonton Oilers tonight in the second half of their mini-series and will also play the Minnesota Wild and Seattle Kraken in this format. This will provide the team with some great playoff-like experience against three teams on their way to the postseason as well.

Those Guys (Again)

Your obligatory Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl warning. Both have over 20 points all-time against the Golden Knights with Draisaitl playing in 18 career games against the VGK and McDavid 17. Combined, the two have 254 points and McDavid can hit the 300-goal mark in his career with a goal.

Preventing Powerplays (Again)

With the talent they have on their roster, the Oilers unsurprisingly have the best powerplay in the NHL, which currently operates at 31.89%. They also have the top-three powerplay point scorers in the league in McDavid, Draisaitl, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Staying out of the box will be key for the Golden Knights.

Get it Done

Technically speaking, the Golden Knights can still clinch a playoff spot if they lose tonight. But for the sake of making it easier to read, getting a win and clinching a playoff spot is obviously ideal for the VGK after they missed out on the postseason last year.

Projected Golden Knights Line Combinations

Ivan Barbashev- Jack Eichel- Jonathan Marchessault

Pavel Dorofeyev- William Karlsson- Michael Amadio

Chandler Stephenson- Nicolas Roy- Phil Kessel

Brett Howden- Teddy Blueger- Keegan Kolesar

Alec Martinez- Alex Pietrangelo

Brayden McNabb- Shea Theodore

Nicolas Hague- Zach Whitecloud

Jonathan Quick/Laurent Brossoit

Golden Knights Special Teams

PP1: Eichel, Roy, Stephenson, Barbashev, Theodore

PP2: Marchessault, Karlsson, Dorofeyev, Kessel, Pietrangelo

PK1: Karlsson, Blueger, McNabb, Pietrangelo

PK2: Stephenson, Howden, Whitecloud, Martinez

IR/Scratches

Nolan Patrick, Robin Lehner/Mark Stone (c), Will Carrier, Adin Hill, Reilly Smith, Logan Thompson/Paul Cotter, Ben Hutton

Projected Oilers Line Combinations

Evander Kane- Connor McDavid (c)- Mattias Janmark

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins- Leon Draiaitl- Zach Hyman

Warren Foegele- Nick Bjugstad- Kailer Yamamoto

Klim Kostin- Devin Shore- Derek Ryan

Darnell Nurse- Cody Ceci

Mattias Ekholm- Evan Bouchard

Brett Kulak- Vincent Desharnais

Stuart Skinner/Jack Campbell

Oilers Special Teams

PP1- Hyman, RNH, Draisaitl, McDavid, Bouchard

PP2- Kane, Bjugstad, Foegele, Nurse, Ekholm

PK1- Bjugstad, RNH, Nurse, Ceci

PK2- McDavid, Ryan, Ekholm, Kulak

IR/Scratches

Oscar Klefbom, Mike Smith, Ryan Murray, Ryan Mcleod/Phillip Broberg

How to Watch/Listen

7:00 p.m. on AT&T Sportsnet, ESPN+ and Fox Sports 98.9 FM Radio.