“We owe Vegas a good series,” Connor McDavid said before the Oilers began their Round 2 campaign against the Golden Knights. And so far, it has been a good series for Edmonton. With 2 games in the pocket before heading back to Rogers Place, McDavid & Co. look firmly in control of the best-of-seven game series. The Knights, on the flip side, have an uphill battle on their hands. On top of that, the Knights’ Nicolas Roy came dangerously close to landing another blow to the guts for the struggling team.

Just hours ago, the Edmonton Oilers won Game 2 of Round 2 of the playoffs at the T-Mobile Arena. Kris Knoblauch’s boys secured a nail-biting 5-4 overtime victory. However, while the win was sweet, Vegas star Nicholas Roy’s cross-check on the Oilers’ Trent Frederic in the extra period raised a lot of eyebrows. But will that make things worse than they are for the Las Vegas squad?

Roy was assessed a major penalty and misconduct in tonight’s game against the Oilers as his stick hit Fredric at 5.24 of OT. However, it seems like he will be able to get away from the incident with just feeling a little lighter in his pockets. The Athletic‘s Pierre LeBrun took to X on May 9 to reveal that the NHL has decided to allow Nicholas to play with the team for Game 3.

“No suspension for Roy. Reckless not malicious, Player Safety decides,” reads LeBrun’s social media caption, as he shared the OG post by the NHL Player Safety X handle. However, Nicholas Roy will have to pay a fine of $7,812.50, the maximum allowed amount as per the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement), the post noted. As per the official NHL website, the money will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Frederic took the cross-check to his face in Vegas’ defensive zone, which earned the Oilers a five-minute power play on top of the penalty. However, Edmonton couldn’t make use of the opportunity. It was only with 4:40 left in overtime that McDavid set up Leon Draisaitl o stick for a thunderous one-timer, which saw the puck go past Adin Hill into the Golden Knights’ net.

Poetic justice? While the Golden Knights breathe a sigh of relief for not needing to find an alternate for their forward, the Oilers camp wouldn’t mind seeing their opponents anxious for at least a few hours. After all, when the two teams met in the playoffs two years ago, it was Draisaitl who was on the receiving end of a slash by Pietrangelo.

The incident sparked a lot of debate, and McDavid was livid. “It was as intent to injure as you can get. That was not a hockey play,” fumed the Oilers’ captain. Maybe that’s why Nicolas Roy being handed a suspension would have been welcomed wholeheartedly by the Edmonton camp. But it is what it is. However, despite Roy’s relief, the Knights still have a long way to go.

This is no time for Nicolas Roy to lose his calm

In 2023, it was the Golden Knights that ousted the Oilers from Stanley Cup contention. Vegas won the Conference semi-final 4-2 and went all the way to win the Cup for themselves by defeating the Florida Panthers. On the other hand, it has been more than three decades since the Oilers last experienced Stanley Cup glory. Last year, they reached the finals before being handed a defeat by the Panthers.

Naturally, with them in the lead, Edmonton fans hope Connor McDavid will lead the team to boastful triumphs this time around. But it will not be an easy task. Nicolas Roy & Co. clinched the top seed in the Pacific Division with 110 points, while the Oilers finished the regular season in third place. And yet, in the playoffs, Edmonton has looked impressive. By coming back from behind to win Game 1 against the Knights, the Oilers have made history by becoming the first team in NHL playoff history to win five straight matches after falling behind. That tally now stands at six as it was Victor Oloffson who had given the Knights an early 1-0 lead at 8:42 of the first period.

A stellar feat, indeed. And all the more reason why Nicolas Roy and co. must remain calm.