Punturi: Oilers Will End Golden Knights Season

The Edmonton Oilers have the Vegas Golden Knights on the ropes in their second-round series. They lead 3-1 and can advance to the Western Conference Finals with another win. The Golden Knights are going to bring desperation on the brink of elimination, but it won't matter. The Oilers are going to end the Golden Knights' season with a Game 5 victory.

The Oilers discovered the secret sauce in Game 4 against the Golden Knights. It started with Stuart Skinner halting his postseason skid. Their usual starting goalie imploded to begin the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, forcing Edmonton to turn to backup Calvin Pickard. Pickard collected six consecutive wins before an injury forced the team to return to Skinner. He gave up four goals in his return as the starter in Game 3, but Game 4 was a turning point.

Skinner turned aside all 23 shots on goal from Vegas, leading the Oilers to a 3-0 win. Edmonton's defense was superb, but Skinner was equally as impressive. With that performance, the Oilers hope their starting goalie is back on track. If he is, Vegas's chances of clawing back in the series are done.

It starts with goaltending and continues with the Oilers' physicality. In this series, two forwards have emerged as impactful secondary options. Forwards Evander Kane and Trent Frederic are playing with a sandpaper quality. Frederic dropped the gloves for the Oilers' first fight of the postseason in Game 4. Kane has been a pest around the front of the net, knocking Golden Knights goalie Adin Hill off his game.

The Oilers are on top of this series because they have been a far superior team, and they did that without elite goaltending in the first three games. Now they have a forward group that is rolling and playing with a physical edge and a goalie who is locked in. It all adds up to the Oilers ending the Golden Knights' season in Game 5.