Oilers HC credits Leon Draisaitl for crippling $80,000,000 Knights forward's offense in Game 4

Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch praised Leon Draisaitl's defensive efforts for denying Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel scoring opportunities in Game 4 on Monday.

The Oilers secured a 3-0 shutout victory, positioning them one win away from advancing to the next round. The Oilers strategically matched Draisaitl, Kasperi Kapanen, and Vasily Podkolzin against Jack Eichel's line, which managed only one shot on net.

After the game, Knoblauch highlighted the strong performance of Draisaitl's line to counter the Golden Knights' top line throughout the game.

"He did not disappoint, so we're very happy with those three. Obviously you asked about Leon. Leon's a very proud guy, he wants to be the best guy on the ice," Knoblauch said.

"If he's got a matchup, not too often Rocket Richard Trophy winners, Hart Trophy winners take a challenge of a shutdown role. His defensive details were really good tonight, he bought into that. He checked him well, but also he can score too," he added.

Leon Draisaitl notched two assists in Game 4, taking his tally to 15 points (five goals and 10 assists) in nine playoff games. Meanwhile, Jack Eichel, currently signed to an eight-year, $80 million contract, will look to rebound in the next game to prevent an early exit from the series.

Jack Eichel vows to rally Golden Knights in a must-win Game 5

Jack Eichel shared his thoughts after the game and described the situation as must-win for them before heading into Game 5.

"It’s do or die now," Golden Knights forward Jack Eichel said. They came out in the first, obviously, had a hard push,” Eichel said. “Give us credit though, we stood up to them. You get behind and we obviously weren’t able to solve the goaltender. "We’ve just got to be cleaner on our breakouts and just better execution, I think."

The Vegas Golden Knights trail the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 in a best-of-seven Round 2 Western Conference series. Game 5 returns to T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday, with the puck dropping at 9:30 p.m. ET.

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About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta