The Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers don't like each other. The two fanbases are constantly chirping at each other, making fun of different aspects. For example, Golden Knights fans get a serial killer vibe from Connor McDavid and haven't forgotten Evander Kane's kiss being blown to an unfortunate fan.
For the Oilers, it's all about cap circumvention. Mark Stone can't count the number of times he's been accused of faking his spleen injury, after all. These elements make the rivalry one of the most underrated in the NHL landscape.
However, the Oilers aren't the biggest concern for the Pacific Division leaders. You see, they're battling a wave of injuries that include McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It didn't help that Stuart Skinner went down in a rough collision with Mikko Rantanen on Wednesday night. How will Edmonton survive with the first expansion draft pick in Golden Knights history in net if Skinner's out? Life can be unfair, sometimes.
Instead, Golden Knights fans are more concerned about another team. This squad is 9-1-0 in their last 10 games. They also have four road games left this season, giving them a fighter's chance at stealing the Pacific Division.
Mind you, they also play those same Oilers twice. The remaining games constitute a home-and-home series, adding more significance to the matchups. Not only is home-ice advantage on the line for the first round, but it could be for the next round, too. That's why this team should be on everyone's radar in Las Vegas.
The Los Angeles Kings are the main threat to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Pacific Division
Bet you didn't see this coming, did you? Nobody thought the Los Angeles Kings would hang around and put serious heat on the Vegas Golden Knights. Yet, here we are. The Kings are five points back of the Golden Knights in the divisional race entering Thursday. They're also two points ahead of the Oilers, meaning they'll get home-ice advantage in the first round.
"Is this the year the Kings finally get past those pesky Oilers?"
That's a question Los Angeles hockey fans are asking and they might have a point. The Kings are 26-3-4 at Crypto.com Arena this season. Compare that to an abysmal road record of 14-18-5 and you can see why home ice matters to them. It could be the difference between a deep Stanley Cup playoff run and being eliminated in the first round.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights are 27-7-3 at T-Mobile Arena this season. Their road record is also a far cry from their other record, standing at 16-13-5. Whoever finishes first in the Pacific Division will have the fast track to making the Western Conference Final.
At least, that's what the premise is. The playoffs offer an aura of unpredictability, where teams can pull off an unexpected run. Just look at Los Angeles in 2012 as an eighth seed. Behind a red-hot Jonathan Quick, they won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Comparing the Kings schedule with the Golden Knights
When looking at the upcoming games, one will see a significant discrepancy. One team has an advantage on many fronts while the other is panicking. Here's what the upcoming slate looks like for both teams.
Kings remaining games | Golden Knights remaining games |
|---|---|
@Avalanche, March 27 | @Blackhawks, March 28 |
Maple Leafs, March 29 | @Predators, March 29 |
Sharks, March 30 | Oilers, April 1 |
Jets, April 1 | Jets, April 3 |
@Hockey Club, April 3 | @Flames, April 5 |
Oilers, April 5 | @Canucks, April 6 |
Kraken, April 7 | @Avalanche, April 8 |
Ducks, April 10 | Kraken, April 10 |
Avalanche, April 12 | Predators, April 12 |
@Oilers, April 14 | @Flames, April 15 |
@Kraken, April 15 | @Canucks, April 16 |
Flames, April 17 |
Sure, the Golden Knights might have the division lead. However, Los Angeles holds the advantage in the schedule front. That starts with the number of home games, where the Kings have eight. Compare that to Vegas having four left and that could make Las Vegans sweat bullets.
It's also the little details that matter. Los Angeles has one game in hand, giving them an extra opportunity to gain more points. On top of that, they have one less back-to-back set of games compared to Vegas (3-2). All these additives could be problematic for the division leaders should their rivals continue blazing the earth like Snoop Dogg.
If there's a silver lining for Vegas Golden Knights fans, it's that they only play three playoff teams throughout the remaining stretch. Two of those games are at T-Mobile Arena. Compare that to the Los Angeles Kings, where half of their remaining games are against playoff teams.
While two of those games are away from Crypto.com Arena, it's still noteworthy. The Maple Leafs are battling for Atlantic Division supremacy, adding some urgency to their game. The Avalanche are a Stanley Cup contender themselves with Nathan MacKinnon honing in on another Hart Trophy. Still, now's the time for the division leaders to lock in and hold onto their place. Otherwise, the consequences could be disastrous.