A year after missing the NHL playoffs for the first time in franchise history, the Golden Knights have an opportunity to punch their ticket Tuesday night.
There are multiple scenarios for the Knights to clinch a postseason berth during their 7 p.m. game against the Edmonton Oilers at T-Mobile Arena. Many involve Nashville’s 4 p.m. matchup with Boston and Winnipeg’s 7:30 p.m. visit to San Jose. They are:
— A Knights win in regulation
— A Knights overtime/shootout win, plus a Winnipeg loss to San Jose OR anything but a Nashville win in regulation
— A Knights overtime/shootout loss, plus a Nashville loss in regulation OR a Winnipeg loss in regulation and anything but a Nashville win in regulation OR a Winnipeg overtime/shootout loss and a Nashville loss
— Winnipeg and Nashville losses in regulation
All those possible permutations will add plenty of weight to what is already an important division game for the Knights. Third-place Edmonton, whom they defeated 4-3 in overtime in their last game Saturday, is five points behind them in the standings. The Knights have nine games remaining, and the Oilers have eight. A win would put home-ice advantage in at least the first round almost in reach.
“We’ve got to create separation between other teams,” right wing Keegan Kolesar said. “It’s a tight race. It’s going to come down right to the wire, so any chance we can get to bank two points, we’ve got to do it.”
Goaltender Jonathan Quick is expected to start for the Knights. He is 5-1 with a .908 save percentage and 2.93 goals-against average since being acquired before the trade deadline.
Quick and the rest of the team will face a tall task slowing Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the NHL’s two leading scorers.
Draisaitl had a goal and an assist Saturday, and McDavid had an assist.
Tuesday’s game will be shown on ESPN+ and Hulu and require a subscription to watch.
”It’s confidence-building to beat the teams that you might play in the playoffs,” goaltender Laurent Brossoit said. “They’re important matchups coming up, especially this one.”
Oilers at Knights
7 p.m., T-Mobile Arena
TV: ESPN+/Hulu
Radio: KKGK (98.9 FM, 1340 AM)
Line: Oilers -120; total 7
Knights record: 46-21-6
Oilers record: 42-23-9
Head-to-head: Knights 1-1-1
Knights’ projected lineup:
Ivan Barbashev — Jack Eichel — Jonathan Marchessault
Pavel Dorofeyev — William Karlsson — Michael Amadio
Chandler Stephenson — Nicolas Roy — Phil Kessel
Brett Howden — Teddy Blueger — Keegan Kolesar
Ben Hutton — Alex Pietrangelo
Brayden McNabb — Shea Theodore
Nic Hague — Zach Whitecloud
Jonathan Quick
Contact Ben Gotz at [email protected]. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.
