EDMONTON – You could hear the gasp across Rogers Place.
With just 0.4 seconds on the clock, Reilly Smith threw a hopeful puck across the crease, and it clipped the skate of Leon Draisaitl before squeaking past Stuart Skinner, handing the Vegas Golden Knights a shocking 4-3 victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round.
It was the kind of ending that would leave any team stunned — especially after Connor McDavid had tied the game with just over three minutes left, seemingly sending this thriller to overtime.
Instead, the Oilers’ six-game win streak came crashing down — and the series now sits at 2-1 for Edmonton, with Game 4 set for Monday night back on home ice.
Skinner Returns, But Luck Doesn’t
Stuart Skinner was back in the crease for the first time since April 23, stepping in after Calvin Pickard was scratched with a lower-body injury. The Oilers’ regular-season No. 1 made 20 saves, and while he stood tall early — especially on the penalty kill — the ending will sting.
“That’s a goalie’s job, to give your team a chance to win,” Skinner said. “I thought I did. A couple tough bounces… that last one’s brutal.”
And brutal it was. The puck hit Draisaitl’s skate, flipped directions, and slid past a helpless Skinner with less than a second remaining on the clock. Cue stunned silence in Edmonton.
Oilers Nearly Pulled Off the Comeback
McDavid’s late-game heroics — tying it 3-3 with 3:02 to go — had the crowd roaring, and it looked like the Oilers would head to OT with momentum. They’d battled back all night after trading punches with the defending champs.
But Vegas, showing championship mettle, found one last bounce — and made it count.
“No bad goals,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch. “We put him (Skinner) in some tough spots. He made big saves when we needed him. The ending? That’s just a fluke.”
Pickard’s Status in Question as Oilers Face Goalie Dilemma
Before Game 3, Calvin Pickard had been the story — 6 straight wins, a 2.84 GAA, and steady play after taking over in Round 1. But with him day-to-day, the crease belongs to Skinner again — at least for now.
Last season, Skinner lost his job mid-round, only to reclaim it and backstop the team to the Stanley Cup Final. Could we see déjà vu?
“Whatever happens, I’ll stay ready,” said Skinner. “When they call my name, I’ll go out there and do my best.”
Big Picture: Still a Series Lead and Home Ice
Despite the devastating finish, Knoblauch was quick to zoom out:
“If you’d told us before the series we’d be up 2-1 after three games — and have Game 4 at home — we’d take that every time.”
The Oilers are still in control. The crowd will be back. And the stakes are rising.
Puck drops on Game 4 Monday at 9:30 p.m. ET. After one of the most dramatic finishes in recent playoff memory, one thing is certain:
This series just got real.
