Leon Draisaitl took a pass from Connor McDavid and scored off the rush at 15:20 of overtime to give the Edmonton Oilers a 5-4 victory over the Vegas Golden Knight,s on Thursday night, and a 2-0 lead in the second-round series.
“We knew they were going to come and they were going to push,” Draisaitl said after the win.
“I thought we weathered it okay. Obviously, they had us on our heels a little bit there; for a little bit. But weathered it, got it into overtime, and you know at that point all you need is one hockey play really and fortunately we got that tonight.”
After failing to capitalize on a five-minute power play when Vegas defenseman Nicolas Roy was assessed a major penalty for cross-checking 5:37 into overtime, the Oilers didn’t waste the opportunity later when the NHL’s most dynamic offensive duo combined for the winner.
“We found a way,” McDavid said. “That’s what we get paid to do. Paid to score goals in big moments and we found a way tonight.”
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“It’s not going to be your best every single night, and we found a way to win on an off night.”
“I feel like our best is still coming, and I hope to see it at home here.”
Vasily Podkolzin, Jake Walman, Darnell Nurse and Evander Kane also scored for the Oilers, and Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each had two assists. Calvin Pickard, who appeared to be shaken up when Vegas’ Tomas Hertl fell on his left leg in the third period, made 28 saves.
Victor Olofsson scored two power-play goals and had an assist for the Golden Knights, Alex Pietrangelo had a goal and an assist, and William Karlsson also scored. Jack Eichel had three assists, and Mark Stone two assists to extend their points streaks to five games apiece. Adin Hill stopped 33 shots.
Game 3 is Saturday night in Edmonton.
Kane’s goal 1:52 into the third period made it 4-2 before Olofsson answered less than three minutes later off a cross-ice pass from Eichel. Pietrangelo, who missed Game 1 because of an illness, tied it with 8:02 left with a shot from the right point.
The Golden Knights scored the only goal in the first period on Olofsson’s power-play shot from the right circle. Eichel set up the play by passing to Stone, who from below the goal found an open Olofsson for his first career playoff goal.
Edmonton rolled off three goals in a row in the second period — all from distance. The Golden Knights quickly responded with Karlsson’s redirect of Eichel’s shot with 1:50 left in the period cut it to to 3-2.
The Oilers, who trailed 1-0 after one period, have a record six consecutive comeback victories in a single postseason.
Vegas has never been swept in its eight-year history and even rallied from 2-0 down in 2021 to beat Colorado in six games, though that series began on the road. The Golden Knights also have been eliminated in five games just twice, including the 2018 Stanley Cup Final against Washington.
The Golden Knights’ 42-game playoff winning streak when scoring at least three goals ended. It was the second longest in NHL history to Montreal’s 52-game streak in 1945-57, according to Sportradar.
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