Knights preview: Better effort expected from Oilers in Game 2

Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) skates for the bench after scoring during the third period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday, April 20, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenschmidttt
The Golden Knights enforced their will on the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round series Wednesday.

The Knights were the better team at five-on-five. Their forecheck produced turnovers. Their stout defense resulted in odd-man rushes. Their depth put the Oilers on their heels.

It was enough for a 6-4 victory and a 1-0 series lead. The Knights aren't expecting things to be so uncomplicated when Game 2 takes place at 4 p.m. Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.

Edmonton, coming off its very first regulation loss given that March 11, isn't most likely to come out with the exact same effort with two day of rests between video games.

" At the end of day, I think they're going to examine much better," coach Bruce Cassidy stated. That's what I 'd anticipate they 'd be looking to do much better.

The Knights are looking to take a 2-0 series lead for the 3rd time in franchise history. The first 2 times they did it were against the Los Angeles Kings in 2018 and the Chicago Blackhawks in 2020. The Knights swept the Kings and beat the Blackhawks in five video games.

The Oilers are wishing to as soon as again rebound from a Game 1 setback. They've lost 7 straight series openers going back to the 2017 playoffs. Edmonton is 4-2 in the subsequent Game twos and has a series record of 3-3 in that span.

" We've got to anticipate a better push from them," captain Mark Stone stated. "I do not think they liked their game."

It'll be up to the Knights to adjust to whatever the Oilers throw at them.

Wednesday was their first policy win against Edmonton in 5 conferences this season. They need to sustain that success to reach the semifinal phase for the 4th time in six seasons.

The Oilers will not make it easy on them. Super Stars Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid showed how harmful they can be in Game 1. Draisaitl tied a franchise record with four goals, and McDavid broke in 2 main assists.

Edmonton might get a major boost if those 2 remain on their video game and more of their teammates start helping out.

" They're an excellent team," goaltender Laurent Brossoit stated. "They're going to change. They have two of the best gamers in the league. They'll probably adapt and discover methods and holes to produce. We're going to have to adjust with them."

Knights vs. Oilers, Game 2 (4 p.m.).

TELEVISION: TNT.

Radio: KKGK (98.9 FM, 1340 AM).

Line: Oilers -120, total 6½½.

Knights' projected lineup:.

Ivan Barbashev - - Jack Eichel - Jonathan Marchessault.

Reilly Smith - - William Karlsson - Michael Amadio.

Brett Howden - - Chandler Stephenson - - Mark Stone.

William Carrier - - Nicolas Roy - Keegan Kolesar.

Alec Martinez - - Alex Pietrangelo.

Brayden McNabb - - Shea Theodore.

Nic Hague - - Zach Whitecloud.

Laurent Brossoit.

Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.