John Tortorella's biggest test will come on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers

The past two games have been easy pickings for John Tortorella as head coach. The new Vegas Golden Knights bench boss has outscored his first two opponents by a combined score of 10-5, turning more fans into believers.

Of course, you're going to have your skeptics that say, "Oh, It'S oNlY vAnCoUvEr AnD cAlGary." But imagine the narrative if the Golden Knights lost both games (or even one of them). Man, life can be unfair with the whole narrative thing at times. People can be extremely picky regarding the goal posts and where to set them, leaving some people to wonder where the endgame is.

Well, guess what? Life gets even harder on Saturday with a game against the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers are in the midst of chasing the Pacific Division crown and could face the Golden Knights in the first round. You already know the names responsible, even if one of them happens to be missing.

So, let's look at what Tortorella can do to defeat the Oilers and silence those critics. But let's go beyond one of the more overused cliches of the 2025-26 season and look deeper into Vegas's problems. That way, Tortorella can cook up a game plan that will stun Edmonton on Saturday.

How can John Tortorella lead the Vegas Golden Knights to victory over the Edmonton Oilers?

It's so easy to say that the team must get off to a fast start. After all, the Golden Knights were outscored in the first period during their four-game homestand, 4-0. All four opponents scored in the first period while Vegas went out with a big fat zero.

However, that's easier said than done. The team hasn't found a plausible solution to this problem throughout the year, leaving them to chase games. While it's easy to come back and win against teams like the Vancouver Canucks and the Calgary Flames, it's much tougher to do against teams like the Oilers and the Colorado Avalanche.

Therefore, an alternative is offered here. That comes in the form of not turning the puck over. Vegas averages 16.17 turnovers per game, ranking eighth in the NHL this season. That has led to plenty of goals heading the other way, including Blake Coleman on the odd-man rush.

Mind you, Coleman had another goal on the night in this fashion. Imagine Connor McDavid pouncing on a turnover and heading down the ice on an odd-man rush. Sure, there's no Leon Draisaitl. However, that doesn't mean that the gigastar can't do damage. Therefore, taking care of the puck is an absolute must if you wish to turn the tide in this rivalry.

If the Golden Knights don't do this, it'll be a long night in Alberta. Edmonton has a five-game winning streak that spans to last season's playoff matchup, where Vegas has had so much trouble with handling the Oilers' rush. The narrative will change back to the old guard with a loss, with fans wondering if it's actually the roster construction that's the problem.