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.

Each team has the experience of a recent Stanley Cup Final appearance. The Golden Knights won it in 2023 before losing a seven-game series to the Dallas Stars in the first round last season. The Oilers are coming off last season's Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Golden Knights focused their efforts two years ago on limiting Oilers stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, a successful strategy that gave Vegas the series victory and helped put it on the path to winning the Stanley Cup.