The Vegas Golden Knights (19-7-3) take on the Edmonton Oilers (17-10-2) for the third time this season for the first game of a back-to-back on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT at Rogers Place.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV: Vegas 34
Streaming: KnightTime+
Radio: FOX Sports Las Vegas 98.9/1340
NOTES
The Golden Knights are 15-2-2 against Western Conference opponents this season.
Keegan Kolesar signed a three-year contract extension through the 2027-28 season on Friday afternoon. Kolesar has 11 points (7G, 4A) in 29 games.
Shea Theodore has recorded eight points (2G, 6A) in the last four games.
Mark Stone has notched two assists since his return from injury on Dec. 6 and has a point in each of his last nine games (4G, 10A).
VGK MILESTONE WATCH
Jack Eichel – Two points away from 200 as a Golden Knight
Adin Hill – Two games away from 50 wins as a Golden Knight
Bruce Cassidy – Three games away from having the most wins all-time as a Golden Knight
Mark Stone – Five goals away from 100 goals as a Golden Knight
CAREER MILESTONE WATCH
Keegan Kolesar – One goal away from career high (eight)
Noah Hanifin – Two points away from 300 career points
Tanner Pearson – Four points away from 300 career points
Pavel Dorofeyev – Four games away from 100 career games
Victor Olofsson – Six assists away from 100 career assists
Victor Olofsson – Six goals away from 100 career goals
VGK SCORING LEADERS
Jack Eichel – 39 points (9G, 30A)
Ivan Barbashev – 29 points (14G, 15A)
Shea Theodore – 24 points (3G, 21A)
Mark Stone – 23 points (6G, 17A)
Tomas Hertl – 21 points (9G, 12A)
Pavel Dorofeyev – 17 points (12G, 5A)
Alex Pietrangelo – 15 points (2G, 13A)
LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Knights defeated the Winnipeg Jets, 3-2, on Thursday night at Canada Life Centre in the first of a three-game trip. Keegan Kolesar and Victor Olofsson scored in the third period before Ivan Barbashev scored his first career overtime goal to lift Vegas to the victory against the Jets.
SEASON SERIES
The Golden Knights and the Oilers have faced each other in two matchups in the 2024-25 season. In their first matchup in Edmonton on Nov. 6, the Golden Knights won their first road game of the season, 4-2. After scoring first, Vegas went down by one in the second period after Edmonton scored two goals in the second. Noah Hanifin scored two goals in the third to take the lead, and an empty-netter from Mark Stone secured the win. In their second meeting of the season on Dec. 3 at T-Mobile Arena, Adin Hill recorded his second shutout of the season in a 1-0 win. Ivan Barbashev scored the lone goal for Vegas.
OPPOSITION UPDATE
Edmonton sits in third place in the Pacific Division with a 17-10-2 record and 36 points heading into Saturday's contest. The Oilers have not lost a game since their last matchup against the Golden Knights on Dec. 3. Edmonton is on a four-game win streak, with three of those wins coming at Rogers Place. Leon Draisaitl leads the Oilers with 42 points (21G, 21A), Connor McDavid trails him by two points with 40 (14G, 26A), and Evan Bouchard leads the blue line with 22 points (6G, 16A).
PACIFIC DIVISION STANDINGS
Vegas Golden Knights – 19-7-3, 41 points
Los Angeles Kings – 17-9-3, 37 points
Edmonton Oilers – 17-10-2, 36 points
Vancouver Canucks – 15-8-5, 35 points
Calgary Flames – 14-11-5, 33 points
Seattle Kraken – 15-14-2, 32 points
San Jose Sharks – 11-16-5, 27 points
Anaheim Ducks – 10-14-4, 24 points
A VEGAS VICTORY WOULD...
- Mark the 332nd win in franchise history
- Give the Golden Knights a 15-12-3 all-time record against the Oilers
- Give the Golden Knights a 3-0-0 record against Edmonton this season
- Put the Golden Knights on a five-game win streak
KEYS TO THE GAME
Return to a Rival: As Vegas prepares to face Edmonton for the third time, Barbashev said that games against the Oilers are always competitive. The Golden Knights need to maintain a high level of compete against a strong Oilers roster to secure two points.
Preparation and Play: Alex Pietrangelo said the team's defense has continued to get better throughout the season and that Thursday's win against Winnipeg was one of their strongest efforts of the season. Defense is important against an offensive team like the Oilers, so Vegas has to maintain its structure and keep its defensive awareness high to get the win.
