Fans of both the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights can commiserate about a season that has fallen well below expectations so far.

Despite their struggles, the Pacific Division won’t let them quit.

The Oilers began their weekly cycle of getting back to basics and playing a committed defensive game, blocking 24 shots against the Utah Mammoth, stifling the opposition in a 5-2 win. The two points meant the Oilers leapfrogged over the Golden Knights again, who can’t score lately, winning once in their last five games.

Two slumbering giants in terms of pre-season expectations show flashes of a strong game, like Vegas beating Dallas last week, but can’t seem to click for any length of time.

Whereas the Oilers usually win two, lose two, and are immune to pronounced runs, the Golden Knights streak harder. In January, Vegas won seven straight, then lost seven of the next eight games. They’ve won four in a row on two other occasions, but also have a four- and five-game losing skid to their name.

That’s put each team a point apart with 10 games to go, despite Edmonton winning three more games.

Collision course in the first round of the Pacific Division playoffs? The likelihood grows stronger.

“A lot on the line here, not only for making playoffs, but seeding,” said coach Kris Knoblauch on Wednesday. “Maybe it’s a home advantage situation in playoff time. Every time we play them, we usually get a good game.”

‘We can play like that more…’

The Oilers have a low-event, defensive game in them. There have been flashes, especially last time against Vegas on March 8.

Tristan Jarry might have graduated from “unplayable” status, but he didn’t have to do much in the victory. He faced 16 shots, and each goal against had a bizarre element to it. If anything, he didn’t crater mentally after the double deflection put the Oilers in a 1-0 deficit, especially with how strongly the team started.

With the breaks and yanks, that was Jarry’s first start in a win since Jan. 26. That bodes well for the Oilers, who may not feel as compelled to start Connor Ingram every game.

The legend of Matt Savoie grows after a terrific shorthanded goal, thanks to a poised Evan Bouchard assist. On a night where Connor McDavid scored his 400th goal and 1200th point,........

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