Edmonton Oilers: Previewing the Vegas Golden Knights Matchup
By Warsame A
The Edmonton Oilers will face off against the Vegas Golden Knight for the third time this season. Can the Oilers snap their four-game losing streak with a win?
It will be the third time this season that the Edmonton Oilers will be squaring off against the Vegas Golden Knights. It might have come in at the worst time when the Oilers are in the midst of their four-game losing streak.
The chances of this team makings the playoffs might be mathematically dead, but it still gives no excuse for them not to be competitive. This team might not be good enough to win games consistently, but they at least need to make an effort to their fanbase.
Matching up against one of the premier teams in the league (especially a team that just formed before the season) must be giving the Edmonton Oilers mixed emotions. The Oilers have already beaten this team twice this year, and it hasn’t done much for this team.
Momentum
Some people could say that those two wins could have been a fluke, but it’s hard to reason with that sentiment. The Edmonton Oilers have beaten the top teams in the league this year like the Calgary Flames, the Boston Bruins, and even the San Jose Sharks—but they never built any momentum off of those big wins.
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The one key to this game that the Edmonton Oilers need to do is to be sound on defense. In their last matchup against the Vegas Knights, they gave up 36 shots on net. In the second and third period, the Knights had the clear advantage on trying to establish an offensive presence with the number of shots they took.
It has been a concern for the Oilers all season long, and it’s something that needs to be addressed in this game. They have been on a downward trend in their recent losing streak, but the buck has to stop at some point—this game could be it.
Consistency
Another thing that needs to be addressed over and over again for the Edmonton Oilers is that they need to play like they don’t have anything to lose. At this juncture, the only thing they can do is play spoiler for teams that are trying to reach the playoffs. They could always try to find creative ways to get mentally prepared for games, and that could be one avenue.
Maybe the stress of trying to reach the playoffs in this cynical environment might have hampered their spirits. If that’s the case, they should have some positive mindset in playing the game they love and are paid to do.
It seems cheesy, but that’s what sports are all about in this day and age. It’s games like this where a failing team like the Edmonton Oilers are written off against one of the best teams in the NHL.
But miraculously pull off an upset win and show the world that there is some glimmer of hope in this franchise. Some of these players and even the coaching staff are fighting not only relevancy but also their job security.
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There is entirely no guarantee that they’ll all be around in the offseason—for the players especially in a few weeks via the trade deadline.