The Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers will face off in the second round of the playoffs, starting on Tuesday. The action starts at 6:30 PM PST and will feature the biggest superstars in the game.
Do you want Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl? Be sure to eat your dinner and watch a hockey game.
Are you a firm believer in Jack Eichel? Tune in at 6:30 PM and forget the baseball games.
All this will make for the hockey fan's ultimate dream: A star-studded series between one of the best players in the league, his sidekick, and his hated adversary. Hollywood couldn't have written a better script for a Stanley Cup playoff series.
Golden Knights fans are wondering what the masses are thinking about the upcoming series. They're curious if the experts and critics are giving their favorite hockey team some love for the second-round matchup. Well...
It's more complicated than one would think. NHL.com is divided on who will win the series. Some say the Golden Knights, while others say the Oilers. But what about the "Worldwide Leader in Sports?" What do they have to say on the matter?
Well, it's more of the same. Experts are also split here on who'll win this series. It's a divide between McDavid moving on and Eichel getting the last laugh again. However, there's a particular lean that's skewed towards one team, marking them as the safer bet.
Who ESPN's experts are picking between the Golden Knights and Oilers
ESPN's panel of experts is going with the Vegas Golden Knights in a 14-10 advantage. There are plenty of reasons why they're sticking with the Pacific Division champions. That ranges from better goaltending to reliable two-way forwards. Here's who's picking the Golden Knights to advance to the Western Conference Final.
- Ryan Callahan: Golden Knights in six
- Meghan Chayka: Golden Knights in seven
- Ryan S. Clark: Golden Knights in seven
- Rachel Doerrie: Golden Knights in seven
- Ray Ferraro: Golden Knights in seven
- Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights in seven
- Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights in six
- Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights in six
- Steve Levy: Golden Knights in seven
- Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights in six
- Sean McDonough: Golden Knights in seven
- AJ Mleczko: Golden Knights in six
- John Thoering: Golden Knights in seven
- Bob Wischusen: Golden Knights in seven
There are some reputable names on there, including Steve Levy, Emily Kaplan, and Ray Ferraro. Other names, such as Linda Cohn and John Buccigross, picked the Oilers to win, particularly in seven games. Buccigross is probably busy going on the Strip trying to pick up chicks by referring to himself as "Bucci Mane."
Regardless, the second-round series will be a blast. You have two hated rivals in arguably the most underrated rivalry in the NHL. You have Connor McDavid vs. Jack Eichel in yet another playoff matchup. Most of all, you have the Edmonton Oilers and the Vegas Golden Knights, the last two Western Conference champions.
Get your popcorn ready. Tuesday's about to be absolute cinema.