Welp, hold up that glittery VGK hype for just a sec, because yeah, Alex Pietrangelo’s gonna have to sit tight a little longer before jumping into Round 2 action. The Knights are rolling into their fifth second-round appearance in just eight seasons like it’s tradition at this point, fresh off a sizzling series win over the Wild. They iced Minnesota in six games, ripping off three dubs in a row like it was nothing. And now? They’re gearing up to lock horns with the Oilers again; a rematch with all the spice from 2023, where Vegas knocked out Edmonton in six and skated off with their first-ever Stanley Cup.

But this year’s dance with Connor McDavid’s crew isn’t looking like a gentle stroll either. Adin Hill’s already bracing for a “physical” and “chippy” grind, and Jack Eichel’s practically circling it in red ink, calling it emotional and cutthroat. And just as the Knights were lacing up for Game 1 at home Tuesday night? Boom, news drops: no Alex Pietrangelo for now. Yup, their star D-man’s still out, and fans are gonna have to wait to see that signature swagger back on the blue line. But wondering what happened to him?

The Golden Knights just hopped on X with a bit of a buzzkill: “Update: Alex Pietrangelo is out of tonight’s game due to an illness.” And honestly? It’s just another twist in the rollercoaster season for the VGK blueliner. Pietrangelo’s been riding the injury wave for a while now. He already skipped the Four Nations tourney to nurse those mysterious “ailment,” and now he is benched again right when things are heating up. Not the timing you want when the Oilers are sharpening their skates and licking their chops for Round 2.

Chris Gawlik from Locked On Vegas has been keeping it real on this situation for a hot minute, throwing up some red flags about Petro’s play. And he didn’t sugarcoat it either—“Last couple of games, Matt Boldy, he just basically made Alex Pietrangelo become a turnstile.” If you’re picturing Boldy skating past him like he had an express pass at an amusement park, yeah, same. Gawlik added that some of those defensive lapses turned into key goals for Minnesota, calling Pietrangelo more of a “passenger” than a stopper on the ice.

Still, there’s a sliver of gold in the Vegas skyline. Gawlik thinks the time off could be healing magic: “If Pietrangelo goes from 64 percent to about 79 percent with this time off, then the Golden Knights I think will be okay.” So yeah, maybe this quick timeout is just what Petro needs to ditch the turnstile rep and come back ready to shut things down. For now though, VGK fans are just hoping the illness is short, and the comeback? Loud. But Alex Pietrangelo isn’t the only player sitting out for the Game 1.

Not just Alex Pietrangelo, but another star remains out!

Just when the Knights were gearing up to throw hands with the Oilers in Round 2, there was another hit to the lineup. Alongside the absence of Alex Pietrangelo, Vegas is also missing one of its goal-sniping golden boys. Yep, Pavel Dorofeyev is officially sidelined for Game 1. Coach Bruce Cassidy gave the scoop, confirming Pav’s out after picking up a mystery injury late in that wild OT win over Minnesota. Tough break, especially since the dude popped off this season with 35 goals and 52 total points like it was nothing.

But hold up, it’s not all doom and gloom. Stepping into Pav’s spot is Victor Olofsson, and he’s no stranger to lighting the lamp either. Coach Bruce Cassidy tried to keep it chill, saying, “It’s not like we’re plugging in a guy that’s never scored,” which honestly, is fair. Plus, Olofsson is sliding into that power play role, ready to get busy and maybe bring that heat Pav usually brings. They’re definitely gonna miss the energy, but the Knights aren’t exactly a one-man army; they’ve got weapons everywhere.

And in the ol’ line shuffle, it’s Mark Stone who’s slotting in with Eichel and Karlsson up top. Coach Cassidy’s keeping things fluid, saying, “(Stone has) played with Jack a lot,” and apparently, it was just a matter of time before that duo got back together anyway. So yeah, with Alex Pietrangelo and Pav both chilling on the sidelines, things might get spicy for Vegas… but hey, it’s NHL. Let’s see who steps up and owns the moment. Think they got this or nah? Drop your hot takes in the comments!