The first-place Vegas Golden Knights have had a few days off to prepare for a two-game trip that begins Wednesday night against the returning Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
McDavid initially was expected to miss two-to-three weeks after injuring his ankle during his first shift in Edmonton’s 6-1 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 28. The three-time Hart Trophy recipient, however, sat out his team’s next three games before participating in the morning skate Wednesday on a line with Zach Hyman and Jeff Skinner.
“I feel good,” McDavid said after the morning skate. “Looking forward to going and getting back in there.”
McDavid, 27, has recorded a team high-tying seven assists to go along with three goals in 10 games this season.
The matchup in Alberta will be the first meeting this season between the Pacific Division clubs, who are expected to battle for supremacy in the division.
Vegas has competed to the extremes when it comes to home and road play: The club is 8-0-0 on home ice but 0-3-1 on the road.
The eight straight home victories matched a franchise record. The Golden Knights reached the milestone on Brett Howden’s overtime goal in a 4-3 win over the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday.
While Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy was pleased about Howden’s game-winner, the night turned in by Noah Hanifin topped his list.
The 27-year-old Boston-born defenseman had a goal and two assists against Utah after going all of October without a tally and just three assists — meaning he matched last month’s point production in one night.
“It was important for (Hanifin) to find his game offensively. That’s something he counts on and expects to bring to the team,” Cassidy said. “Individually, it meant a lot to him (to score).”
The Oilers limped to a 3-0 home shutout loss on Monday against the New Jersey Devils, who scored once in each period and kept sizzling Leon Draisaitl off the scoresheet.
Part of the problem for Edmonton was an extremely slow start to the new campaign after its runner-up finish to the Florida Panthers in last season’s Stanley Cup Final.
Edmonton lost three times out of the gate in being outscored 15-3 by the Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames, though the Oilers exacted some revenge on their provincial neighbors Sunday night.
Playing without McDavid, Edmonton led from the outset and ousted the Flames in the 265th Battle of Alberta, claiming a 4-2 victory and a seventh straight win in Calgary, including the 2022 playoffs.
Not surprisingly in McDavid’s absence, coach Kris Knoblauch’s squad leaned on the reliably elite play of Draisaitl, who is off to a strong start in what could be another 100-point effort.
Through a baker’s dozen of matches, the German center has 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) — a start that paces for the century mark.
–Field Level Media
