Finish Them! Golden Knights vs. Oilers, Game 6: Lines, Odds & How to Watch

By virtue of their tense 4-3 win in Game 5, the Vegas Golden Knights have a chance to punch their ticket to the Western Conference Final. They’ll have to beat the Edmonton Oilers one more time. The VGK leads the series 3-2 and Game 6 is Sunday at Rogers Place.

The puck drops just after 7 p.m. PT.

The teams played Game 5 without top defensemen. Alex Pietrangelo was suspended for his two-handed whack on Leon Draisaitl, while Oilers’ d-man Darnell Nurse had to watch the festivities because he instigated a fight with Nicolas Hague in the final five minutes of Game 4.

The Oilers’ power play scored three goals, yet the Golden Knights’ ability to limit Edmonton to only goal on a five-minute major at the start of the third period proved to be a difference maker. The Golden Knights drew momentum from the kill, and Edmonton didn’t score again.

Connor McDavid had a pair of goals. Zach Hyman had the other.

Game 5 followed the “usual” first-period script. Edmonton scored an early power-play goal (McDavid), then the Golden Knights immediately responded. Jack Eichel banged in a rebound just 50 seconds later.

The Golden Knights scored three goals in 89 seconds late in the third period, two on the power play and a third just one second after expiration. The outburst with goals by Mark Stone, Reily Smith, and Nicolas Hague was the difference.

Game 6 will not be without external drama. Saturday, Pietrangelo accused Edmonton of “premeditated” hits, though he said he and his teammates won’t dive to create penalties or embellish hits.

“I’ll get up and take it. I’m not going to lay on the ice like what’s going on, (what) we’ve been seeing,” said Pietrangelo. “So I’ll get up and play the game the way it needs to be played.”

Adin Hill will start in net for the Golden Knights. Twice before, coach Jay Woodcroft has pulled starter Stuart Skinner and gone back to him the next game. However, Game 5 was the second time Skinner needed to be pulled in three games.

Jack Campbell relieved Skinner in the second period of Game 5, but after the morning skate, it appears Skinner will start.

Expected Vegas Golden Knights Lines:

Barbashev-Eichel-Marchessault

Smith-Karlsson-Roy

Howden-Stephenson-Stone

Carrier-Blueger-Kolesar

Defense:

McNabb-Theodore

Martinez-Pietrangelo

Hague-Whitecloud

Goalie: 

Adin Hill

Jonathan Quick (backup)

Expected Edmonton Oilers Lines:

Nugent-Hopkins–McDavid–Hyman

Kane-Draisaitl–Yamamoto

Foegele-McLeod-Ryan

Kostin-Bjugstad-Janmark

Defense:

Nurse-Ceci

Ekholm-Bouchard

Kulak-Broberg

Goalie: 

Stuart Skinner (likely)

Special Teams:

Golden Knights power play: 18.4%, 10th

Golden Knights penalty kill: 58.8%, 15th

Oilers power play: 47.4%, 1st

Oilers penalty kill: 74.4%, 10th

Vegas Golden Knights Game Notes:

The three second-period goals in Game 5 (Stone, Smith, and Hague) were the three fastest goals scored in a playoff game by the Golden Knights in franchise history.

Four times in this series – and all in wins – the Golden Knights have scored a goal within two minutes of an Edmonton goal.

The VGK are 5-3 in the playoffs when its opponent scores first.

The Golden Knights are 4-1 in series when holding a 3-2 lead.

Jack Eichel is tied for fifth among all active players with 13 points in his first 10 career playoff games.

How to Watch:

TV: ESPN

Fox Sports 98.9 FM/1340 AM Deportes 1460 AM

Golden Knights Bets:

Bet $5 at DraftKings and get the instant $150 promo. Click here.

The Over finally hit in Game 5. The 4-3 score just squeaked by (6.5), and we continue to expect both teams to light up the scoreboard.

In keeping with the series trend, the teams have alternated wins, so it is Edmonton’s turn. However, what fun is that? The Vegas Golden Knights are +160 at Draft Kings on the moneyline. If the ‘Knights can stay out of the box, they’ve owned 5v5 play. How will Edmonton handle facing elimination?

It’s a scary bet, so don’t go crazy, but we’ll take the Golden Knights and +160. The puck line that either can win by two goals isn’t as good as the Moneyline, so stay there. You can sign up for a new DraftKings account — Click here.