It may be a few weeks away yet, but an upcoming game between the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers could wind up being one of the biggest of the season.
Both teams are fighting for the top spot in the Pacific Division right now, with the Canucks having not let go of the spot for most of the season. Right now, the Oilers are still six points back of Vancouver for the division crown, but they hold two games in hand and have a head-to-head matchup.
That’s a swing of six points that could potentially change how the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs shake out.
NHL.com
If the playoffs started today, the Canucks would be taking on the Nashville Predators, who occupy the top wildcard spot, while the Oilers would line up against the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights, as the LA Kings are starting to lag behind.
Right now, the better matchup lies with the Canucks, as the Golden Knights are expected to be a strong team once they get Tomas Hertl and Mark Stone up and running for the playoffs.
The head-to-head matchup set between these two teams on April 13 will be massive in deciding who will get the edge in the race, especially for the Oilers. If Edmonton loses to the Canucks, it will all but guarantee Vancouver’s first division title since the 2012-13 season.
Vancouver will win the season series no matter what, dispatching the Oilers in three early-season contests so far. That shouldn’t help much in predicting the victor for the final game, however, as the Oilers are playing much better hockey than they were to start the season. It is sure to be an absolute thriller as the Canucks try to go for a clean sweep, and a motivated Oilers team vyes for revenge.
It’s crunch time for both teams, and a single stumble by either the Canucks or Oilers down the stretch could decide the division and, subsequently, the Western Conferences’ first-round playoff matchups.