Golden Knights looking to get response against Oilers

The Vegas Golden Knights have one more chance to make something happen in this quick road trip up north.

On Sunday, the Golden Knights finish their weekend back-to-back in Alberta when they take on the Edmonton Oilers.

Venue: Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB, Canada

Date: Sunday, December 21

Time: 5:00 pm PST

How To Watch: ESPN+, SCRIPPS

Radio: 1340 AM, 94.7 FM

The first game of the weekend did not go anywhere near as planned for the Golden Knights, getting doubled up 6-3 by the Calgary Flames. On the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, Elliotte Friedman suggested the poor showing would lead to them being in an “ornery” mood for this game.

Here is how the Golden Knights can take some frustrations out on the Oilers en route to two points.

Give in to the anger

Both teams are on the second legs of back-to-backs, and neither were overly convincing in the first.

The Oilers also struggled in their Saturday matchup, falling to the Minnesota Wild 5-2. As a result, both teams have sour tastes in their mouths, so they will be venting out some frustrations. Expect an aggressive game where two of the better teams in the Pacific have something to prove.

Keep it clean

The Flames game showcased a recurring problem with the Golden Knights: turnovers.

While the injuries and shifting lineups do not help, too many games have gotten away from the Golden Knights due to unforced errors with the puck. Against a team with the speed and talent of the Oilers, too many self-inflicted wounds can lead to another blowout loss. Smart and simple hockey is going to have to be the rule of the day against Edmonton.

Running out of time

Another element that has proven to be an issue with the Golden Knights has been the inconsistent showings from their depth.

With Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore out for this road trip and possibly beyond, this is the time for players lower in the lineup to step up and make their contributions. However, losses like the one against Calgary show what happens when those contributions dry up. For players in need of getting on the board, especially players like Brandon Saad who have shifted in and out of the lineup already, this is a tremendous opportunity to cement their spot as key depth going forward.