The Stanley Cup Playoffs action continues tonight (May 10) at Rogers Place, where the Edmonton Oilers have a chance to put a stranglehold on the Vegas Golden Knights when the teams square off in Game 3 of their second-round series.
After defeating the Golden Knights twice at T-Mobile Arena earlier this week, including a thrilling 5-4 victory in overtime on May 8, the Oilers have returned home with a 2-0 lead and are now just two wins away from advancing to the Western Conference Final for a third time in the last four postseasons. But before they can think about winning a fourth game, the Oilers need to get their third win against Vegas.
Here are three keys to Edmonton going up 3-0 on the Golden Knights.
Oilers Must Learn From the Past
Amazingly, this is only the third time since they last won the Stanley Cup in 1990 that the Oilers have taken a 2-0 series lead. The last time it happened was in 2017, during the very first playoff run for Edmonton’s current leadership core of captain Connor McDavid and alternate captains Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Eight years ago, Edmonton also won Games 1 and 2 of the second round on the road, defeating the Anaheim Ducks by scores of 5-3 and 2-1. Back home with a chance to take a 3-0 series lead, the Oilers stumbled out of the gate in Game 3, falling behind 3-0 before the first period was 12 minutes old. Anaheim went on to win that contest by a score of 6-3. Then the Ducks won Games 4 and 5 and eventually eliminated the Oilers in seven games.
The 2017 Ducks have a lot in common with the 2025 Golden Knights, both being established powerhouses rich in postseason experience. But what’s different this time is that the Oilers are no longer wide-eyed playoff rookies. They are now a team loaded with veterans who have been through the playoff wars. McDavid and Co. need to draw on that experience from eight years ago to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen again in 2025.
Oilers Need More From McDavid
Speaking of the captain, the Oilers need greater production from McDavid. Edmonton is on fire this postseason, having won six consecutive games, but the reason for its run of success has been depth scoring. Over Edmonton’s six straight victories, 14 different Oilers have scored, with eight of whom have at least two goals during the streak. McDavid, meanwhile, has just one goal in the last six games.
Connor McDavid makes a beautiful move to set up Leon Draisaitl for the overtime winner in Game 2! #StanleyCup
Eight players have already scored for the Oilers in Round 2. McDavid has just one assist in Games 1 and 2 against Vegas combined, setting up Draisaitl for the winning goal after making a jaw-dropping deke in overtime on Thursday. It’s fantastic that Edmonton is getting contributions from throughout its lineup. No team can win a championship without everyone pitching in at some time or another. But now that the supporting cast has staked Edmonton to a series lead, it’s time for the greatest player on the planet to take them to the next round.
McDavid, to his credit, knows he needs to be better. Even after his heroics on Thursday, he said that Game 2 was “not my best.” If the Oilers are capable of a sixth consecutive victory when their captain isn’t at his best, imagine what’s possible when he finds his stride.
Oilers Must Ride the Home Wave
Rogers Place is going to be electric when the Oilers take the ice tonight. The Oilers need to capitalize on every last advantage that comes from playing in their barn. Edmonton has made Rogers Place exceptionally inhospitable for visiting teams at this time of year. Dating back to the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Oilers are 9-2 over their last 11 postseason games at home. They’ve won five straight playoff games at Rogers Place, averaging an incredible six goals per game over that streak.
In Round 1 against the Kings, Edmonton went 3-0, winning by scores of 7-4, 4-3, and 6-4. While home ice doesn’t always prove advantageous in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it certainly has this postseason, with home teams going 35-19 through games completed Friday (May 9). The Oilers will look to continue that trend tonight.
In the meantime, Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner started Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday. This was Skinner's first start since Game 2 against the Los Angeles Kings in the first round. Calvin Pickard, who started Edmonton's last six contests, missed the morning skate and is considered day-to-day. He appeared shaken up after Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl fell on his left leg during Game 2, though he remained in the contest. Pickard made seven saves in the extra frame en route to Edmonton's 5-4 victory.
Skinner struggled in his two appearances against the Kings, logging an .810 clip and 6.11 goals against average while allowing 11 goals on 58 shots. He faced the Golden Knights in the second round of the 2023 postseason, recording an .875 clip and 3.97 goals against average as Vegas eliminated Edmonton in six games. Skinner played against Vegas three times during the regular season, going 1-2-0 with a .924 save percentage.
After an eventful first period, the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights were tied 2-2. Corey Perry scored two goals to give the Oilers a 2-0 lead, but Vegas responded with two goals in less than a minute from Nicolas Roy and Reilly Smith to even things at two goals apiece. Perry scored his first goal midway through the frame after a pass from Connor McDavid. He found the back of the net just under four minutes later, tipping in an Evan Bouchard point shot on the power play to double the Oilers' lead.
Roy scored after batting home a loose puck in front of the net, while Reilly Smith scored on a backhand move. Despite the turmoil in the crease, the Oilers took the opening two games of the series, winning Game 1 4-2 on Tuesday and Game 2 5-4 in overtime Thursday. Game 4 will go Monday evening in Edmonton.
As the Oilers look to capitalize on their home advantage and continue their winning streak, the stakes are high in this playoff matchup. The team is eager to build on their momentum and secure their place in the Western Conference Final.
