Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights fans were preparing for overtime after a wild start to Game 3 when it took a stunning turn with 0.4 seconds remaining in regulation. Reilly Smith threw a prayer towards the net that was going wide, but Leon Draisaitl put his blade in front of the puck and tipped it into his own net for a Golden Knights goal. It capped an eventful night for Draisaitl, who had two assists but also took the blame for another goal earlier in the game.
The Oilers had all the momentum before the shocking ending, as Connor McDavid tied the game at 3-3 with a little over three minutes left. Rogers Place was rocking, and everyone expected an overtime thriller, but Smith snatched away the game and made the series 2-1. It was a gutsy effort for the Golden Knights, as they lost their captain, Mark Stone, halfway through the first period.
Stuart Skinner received the brunt of the abuse through the first two-and-a-half periods, as he was having another stinker of a performance. However, it’s impossible to blame him for Smith’s goal, as he did everything he could to steer the puck wide before Draisaitl tipped it in the net. This makes the heartbreak even more severe for the Oilers and their fans.
Leon Draisaitl takes the blame for Oilers
The lasting memory of this game will be Draisaitl’s own goal. It’ll be even more discouraging for Draisaitl if the Golden Knights use this win as a launching pad to rally in the series. It wasn’t the only poor moment for the German superstar in this game, as he also took the blame for a poor change that led to a Vegas goal in the second period.
The Golden Knights quickly transitioned with the game tied at two when Draisaitl, Viktor Arvidsson, and Jake Walman went for a line change. They didn’t realize how quickly William Karlsson was heading back toward them, which left Vegas wide open for a 4-on-2 rush and a go-ahead goal.
Draisaitl gave the Golden Knights hope, which is bad in the postseason. Edmonton will need Draisaitl’s best on Monday to avoid losing both games at home and letting Edmonton back into the series.
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