Backs against the wall, the Golden Knights and Oilers showed exactly why they’ve been frequent fliers past the first round — and why the Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings were first-round fodder once again.

Connor McDavid said he feels the Edmonton Oilers are better equipped to face the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Second Round than they were two seasons ago. The six-game loss to Vegas in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs stung the Oilers and their captain,

The winner of the upcoming second-round series will take on one of the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets and St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference Finals. The Stars advanced past the Colorado Avalanche with a Game 7 victory on Saturday, and they await the winner of Sunday's Game 7 between the Jets and Blues.