Remember May's playoff matchup between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers? It featured everything, ranging from Reilly Smith's buzzer-beater to Leon Draisaitl ransacking the offensive zone. Ultimately, it resulted in the Golden Knights losing in five games and some dude named Philip getting in his feels.
But Golden Knights fans got the last laugh as the Florida Panthers dismantled the vaunted "machine" in six games through the power of friendship and ice cream. Some things you can't properly explain in life. But one thing's for certain. Canada still hasn't had a Stanley Cup since 1993.
Sunday's matchup between the Oilers and the Golden Knights will certainly have those same rumblings. You have your obvious superstars such as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who've caused Vegas so much trouble in the past. However, some things are... different.
There are the obvious tells, such as Mitch Marner living in Las Vegas along with Carter Hart. However, it goes beyond that. Some players are missing from the fray, whether it's them dealing with a bad cold, being injured, or being outright traded. It's time to delve further into these differences and see whether the Golden Knights are prepared for these changes (cue Tupac).
What changed from the previous matchup between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Edmonton Oilers (and how Tomas Hertl and the Golden Knights can beat Connor McDavid and company)
First, the Edmonton Oilers have made some changes. No longer do you see the antagonists from May on the Oilers. That means no Connor Brown, Evander Kane, or Corey Perry. No, you have Andrew Mangiapane and Spencer Stastney on the team. But that's not all, though.
You also have a new look in net. That means no more Stuart Skinner, who was traded to Pittsburgh for Tristan Jarry. Sadly, Jarry was injured and placed on injured reserve, leaving Edmonton to rely on Calvin Pickard (remember him?) and Connor Ingram.
On the other side, the injuries have also affected the Golden Knights. You don't have Jack Eichel for the road trip and Theodore is week-to-week with an upper-body injury. But you're also missing William Karlsson, who does a good job at taking away the middle from Draisaitl and McDavid. That could make life more difficult for the goaltending, which is trending towards newbie, Carter Hart, starting (barring any setbacks, of course).
So, how can Vegas get revenge on those pesky Oilers? For starters, they must stay out of the penalty box. I know it's tempting for Jeremy Lauzon to try and demolish some people on the ice. However, he must resist that urge or face the wrath of the league's second-best power play (31.9% entering Saturday).
But that also means that the entries are on point. With Edmonton's goaltending still looking weak, the Golden Knights must overcome the absences of Eichel and Theodore and move past the neutral zone. If not, Draisaitl and McDavid will run wild like Hulkamania.
That also means Tomas Hertl must get comfortable in the slot. The Golden Knights have a literal cheat code in front of the net, whether they're on the power play or at even strength. Utilizing the size advantage puts them in a better position for their scoring chances, even banking on some deflections and redirections in the process. If Vegas can do that, then revenge is a dish best served cold like an Albertan winter.