The Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers don't like each other. They're constantly competing for Western Conference supremacy and vying for the Pacific Division title. Well, at least the Golden Knights are.
But that shouldn't discount the Oilers from being taken seriously. After all, they're the defending Western Conference champions who have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They can beat you by simply overpowering you. No other team can do that with the two best stars in the league.
Guess what? Both teams are facing each other and the action starts on Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena. The Golden Knights are looking to get another Stanley Cup and establish themselves as a new NHL dynasty.
The Oilers? They're trying to bring a Stanley Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993. That drought is now 30 years old and has probably started a family. Canada is starving for a Stanley Cup victory and they're praying to their lord and savior, McDavid, for salvation.
But let's look at the 2023 series between both rivals for a second. Both teams have changed since the two faced each other in the second round. Still, we can't look at this year's series and not forget about what defined the previous matchup in 2023.
1.) Alex Pietrangelo's slashing penalty on Leon Draisaitl
How could a slashing penalty against Leon Draisaitl impact the series? For Alex Pietrangelo, it was all about where the length would lie. How long would he be out for such a dangerous play?
Well, he only missed Game 5. Fans in Edmonton were outraged by the decision, accusing Gary Bettman of rigging the series. Cue the chorus of "GOLDEN REFS" accusations, everyone.
Only getting one game for the slash ended up bringing him back for Game 6, where he had an assist. He also had two blocked shots and a hit, leading the Golden Knights to a series-clinching 5-2 victory. What happened after that? Well, you know the rest.
2.) The Golden Knights power play breaks through in Game 5
Not having Alex Pietrangelo for Game 5 might've seemed like a major loss. After all, nobody likes losing their defenseman from the top pairing against Connor McDavid and company. However, it didn't matter in the end.
How? The Vegas Golden Knights got two power play goals, courtesy of Mark Stone and Reilly Smith. That's right. A historically mediocre unit came through and swung the momentum in Vegas's favor.
It was a huge part of a three-goal period that kept McDavid and company at bay, giving the Golden Knights a 3-2 series lead. Without that power play standing tall, Vegas wouldn't win Game 6 and move on to the Western Conference Final... And achieve bigger things.
3.) Jonathan Marchessault's hat trick
Speaking of Game 6, that win wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for an "Original Misfit." Jonathan Marchessault's Conn Smythe-winning campaign was marked by a natural hat trick in the second period. That included assists from teammates such as Jack Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo, who set up incredible scoring opportunities for the "Misfit."
Sometimes, the most unorthodox things can happen during the Stanley Cup playoffs. These things can take the air out of the other team's balloon, leaving them searching for answers. Marchessault took the life from Rogers Place on May 14, leading them to a matchup with Pete DeBoer and the Stars and, eventually, the Conn Smythe trophy.