The Golden Knights didn’t get the help they needed to clinch a playoff spot on their day off Monday.
They get a chance to take matters into their own hands Tuesday.
The Knights can clinch a playoff berth for the seventh time in eight seasons if they defeat the Edmonton Oilers in any fashion after the puck drops at 7 p.m. at T-Mobile Arena.
They will also lock up their spot if the Calgary Flames lose to the Utah Hockey Club in regulation on Tuesday, or if the Flames lose in any fashion and the St. Louis Blues lose to the Detroit Red Wings in regulation.
The Knights could have clinched Monday if Calgary lost in regulation to the Colorado Avalanche, but the team overcame a 2-0 third-period deficit to win 3-2 in a shootout.
“We got a big test (tonight),” right wing Keegan Kolesar said. “Obviously we (can) punch our ticket into the dance, so that’s exciting. It gives you a little extra juice.”
The Knights (45-20-8) are also closing in on their fourth Pacific Division title in eight seasons. They are seven points up on the second-place Los Angeles Kings with nine games to go and nine points up on third-place Edmonton (42-26-5).
“Edmonton’s a team that we know we’ve got in the standings behind us,” center Jack Eichel said. “Divisional games are obviously super important. It should be intense tonight.”
The Oilers will be without captain Connor McDavid due to a lower-body injury. That will shift the Knights’ focus to center Leon Draisaitl, who leads the NHL with 51 goals.
“He’s a guy every team would circle and say, ‘This guy can’t beat you,’” coach Bruce Cassidy said.
Goaltender Adin Hill will make his fourth straight start for the Knights. Akira Schmid will serve as Hill’s backup after being called up from Henderson on Monday due to Ilya Samsonov’s upper-body injury.
Projected lineup
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Mark Stone
Brandon Saad — Nicolas Roy — Pavel Dorofeyev
Victor Olofsson — William Karlsson — Reilly Smith
Tanner Pearson — Brett Howden — Keegan Kolesar
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin — Zach Whitecloud
Nic Hague — Kaedan Korczak
Adin Hill
This is a developing story. Check back later for updates
Contact Danny Webster at [email protected]. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
