Edmonton Oilers projected lineup for game five versus the Vegas Golden Knights

How this lineup should perform

We saw what this team was capable of in game four. They came out strong, physical, and fast with an early goal, plenty of punishing hits, and enough pestering to get under the skin of some Vegas players. Particularly, Adin Hill.

Kasperi Kapanen and Troy Stecher earned another chance to play in this lineup with their performance in game four.

Kapanen delivered countless hits early, with one shift in particular that he recorded three or four huge hits, each met with a roar of cheers from the hometown crowd.

Stecher provided an amazingly stable force from the blueline, helping Darnell Nurse to one of his best games of the season and definitely his best of the playoffs. Stecher possesses endless amounts of battle and his determination was noticed and applauded.

Will this be a turning point for Stuart Skinner?

In one of the most random stats available, Stuart Skinner is the best game four goalie in NHL playoff history.

After a shutout in game four this time around, are we seeing a turnaround in Skinner’s game into a hot streak? In recent years, the Oilers have been exceptional in games five through seven of playoff series’, and have an 8–2 record when given the opportunity to close a series.

Spread the depth out

One thing the Oilers have been able to do to their benefit is roll their lines. Edmonton has been getting great contributions from their depth , with a particularly strong performance from the fourth line. Having players like Evander Kane, Corey Perry, and Adam Henrique in the bottom six has been vital in creating chances to win games, even if Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are being shut down or struggling.

Look to the bottom six to make an impact early once again, whether it be physically or on the scoreboard.