Stanley Cup playoffs takeaways: Goaltending issues for Oilers, Golden Knights

The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs persisted on Thursday evening with two extra second-round video games. Here are some key takeaways from the motion.

Goaltending issues for each Golden Knights and Oilers

Neither the Edmonton Oilers nor Vegas Golden Knights will have to be feeling overly assured about their goaltending eventualities throughout the first two video games of this sequence. 

Not simplest did the 2 goalies mix to surrender 9 targets in Edmonton’s 5-4 win on Thursday, however not one of the goalies on those rosters were just right thus far within the playoffs as an entire.

Vegas’ Adin Hill entered play on Thursday with simplest an .876 save share this postseason, which isn’t going to be just right sufficient to win a Stanley Cup. It’s dangerous, and he was once no longer nice on Thursday. 

As for the Oilers, after Stuart Skinner posted an .810 save share in his first two video games this postseason, they went to Calvin Pickard. And whilst he entered Thursday’s sport having gained all 5 of his begins, his sub-.900 save share is a large fear. He additionally was once no longer nice on Thursday. 

No place adjustments the playoffs or a sequence greater than goaltending, and at the moment each groups are suffering to get it. One of them goes to advance, however there is not any ensure it will get both of them a championship if they preserve enjoying at this degree in internet. 

A good signal for Edmonton remains to be creating

You want a few superstars to win the Stanley Cup. You can not win, then again, with simplest a few superstars being requested to hold the entire weight offensively.

That has been an enormous downside for the Oilers all through lots of the Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl technology. It at all times creates a ceiling for what they are able to do and the way some distance they are able to pass. 

The just right information is the Oilers’ scoring intensity this postseason has been sensational impartial of McDavid and Draisaitl. With targets from Vasily Podkolzin and Jake Walman on Thursday, Edmonton now has targets from 15 other gamers this postseason and has saved its heads jointly above water as a group when its two highest gamers don’t seem to be at the ice. That isn’t one thing that has ever actually took place for the Oilers lately.

If that continues they don’t seem to be simplest going to have a great opportunity to win this sequence, but additionally the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl once more and, possibly, even the Stanley Cup this time round. 

Hurricanes’ previous playoff issues are nonetheless lurking

The just right information for the Hurricanes is that throughout the first two video games of the sequence they’re most commonly enjoying their sport.

They are pushing the tempo of play, they’re out-shooting the Capitals and they’re dominating the sport from a territorial point of view. Their amount over high quality shot method is totally energetic.  

But the targets don’t seem to be fairly following, no less than no longer but. That must be a priority, as a result of that is how such a lot of in their postseasons have ended lately. 

Carolina’s maximum constant Achilles heel 12 months in and 12 months out come playoff time is that in spite of doing the whole lot neatly and enjoying a profitable taste of hockey, it simply by no means fairly has the completing skill and game-breakers to constantly flip all of it into offense. In two video games on this sequence the Hurricanes have simply 3 targets on 61 general photographs on purpose, sufficient to get them one win. 

They must have the option to attain sufficient targets to win 3 extra video games within the sequence, and 11 extra within the playoffs general.