LAS VEGAS — Power plays were the name of the game. The Vegas Golden Knights scored two power-play goals later in the second period and a third tally just one second after a power play expired to claim a 4-2 lead after two periods.
However, the Edmonton Oilers scored a pair of power-play goals in the first period and began the third period with 4:37 remaining on Keegan Kolesar’s five-minute major for boarding. Kolesar also got a game misconduct.
Connor McDavid scored on the major penalty, his second power-play tally of the game, but the Golden Knights put on a clinic in the final minutes of the third period. They pinned Edmonton deep in the defensive zone for a 4-3 win at T-Mobile Arena.
The Golden Knights lead the series 3-2 and will have a chance to advance Sunday in Game 6.
It was high-drama to begin the third period. The series lead hanging in the balance. A Golden Knights win meant they could eliminate Edmonton in Edmonton Sunday. A loss meant they faced extermination in front of that wild Rogers Place crowd.
Allowing “only” one power-play goal at the beginning of the third seemed like a victory for the Golden Knights.
Nearly half of the third period was played with a team on the advantage, as Edmonton forward Warren Foegele took a four-minute high-sticking penalty with about 12 minutes remaining.
And Jack Eichel gave part of it back with a roughing penalty a minute later.
As the Oilers have done in all five games of the series, they scored the first goal. And following the script, it was an early power-play goal. A blocked shot bounced directly to McDavid (6), who snapped it into the net.
And as they’ve done three times, the Golden Knights responded within a couple of minutes when Eichel (6) slammed a rebound into the net behind Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner.
Zach Hyman scored Edmonton’s second power-play goal midway through the first. The puck deflected off a couple of players, Hyman (3) the last, before resting in the Golden Knights’ net.
The choppy second period seemed destined to end without goals. Despite the energetic push by the Vegas Golden Knights, lighting the lamp was elusive.
Until…
Three goals in 1:29. Two of those were power-play goals, including a 5v3 goal, and the third occurred a second after a power-play expired.
Golden Knights captain Mark Stone (5) scored the first one, tucking the puck around Skinner in front.
Reilly Smith (1) shoveled a bouncing puck through Skinner 29 seconds later.
With the “Fortress” shaking with energy and elated cheers, defenseman Nicolas Hague whistled a long-range shot past Skinner to cap the dramatic turnaround.
Skinner was pulled for Jack Campbell, and the game seemed in hand until Kolesar’s penalty set up a tense third period.
The Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers were without top defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Darnell Nurse, respectively, due to suspensions stemming from the out-of-control physicality at the end of Game 4. Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy made further lineup changes by making top-six forward Michael Amadio a healthy scratch and moving Teddy Blueger from the press box to fourth-line center.
Adin Hill Stoped 31 of 34 shots for his first playoff win.
More must-reads: