Golden Knights pull back into series with ‘unbelievable’ Game 3 winner over Oilers

The goal was hockey’s version of a walk-off home run, but for the visiting team. Fans at Rogers Place were left stunned as the Golden Knights celebrated a huge road victory that cut Edmonton’s series lead to one game.

It was the third-latest regulation game-winner in Stanley Cup Playoff history, following Jussi Jokinen of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2009 (0.2 seconds) and Nazem Kadri of the Colorado Avalanche in 2020 (0.1 seconds), according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.

Vegas’s win snapped Edmonton’s six-game winning streak, which started during their first-round series against the L.A. Kings. The win also guaranteed that this series won’t end up in a sweep. The Golden Knights have never been swept in a playoff series in team history, while the Oilers haven’t pulled off a sweep since 1989-90 against the Kings.

Game 4 between the Oilers and Golden Knights will be at 7:30 PM MT in Edmonton on Monday.

What they said…

Leon Draisaitl on what went wrong in the final seconds of the game…

“We didn’t sort it out very well, to let the puck get into the slot. After that, it’s just unlucky. It’s unfortunate. It goes off my stick.”

“I’m just trying to keep it out of the net, obviously. It’s just a bad bounce.”

Stuart Skinner on looking ahead to Game 4 on Monday…

“We’re still up by one, so it’s our job just to show up again the next night and play our hardest to try and make this thing 3-1. But we can’t go chasing that. We gotta stick to our process and keep doing what we’re doing, play well in all areas of the ice, and I think if we do that, we give ourselves the best chance.”

Reilly Smith on scoring the game-winning goal with 0.4 seconds left…

“I think if I tried to shoot that, it’s getting stopped. Sometimes you just hope for the best, and that one it seemed to work out. Thankfully I had enough time.”

“I think after these playoffs are said and done, I’ll look back at it. Right now, I think my mindset is I was able to help the team win tonight.”

Nicolas Roy on the Golden Knights not knowing if the puck had gone in the net…

“It was unbelievable. It looks like Reilly knew it, but nobody else on the ice knew it… what a play by him, and obviously it’s a huge goal.”

Bruce Cassidy on the Golden Knights getting a break in their favour…

“The finish, yeah, you don’t see too many of them (like that). Good for us to get one to go in our favour.”

“Fortunate to get a break there because, in reality, they got a break on the third goal, right? It goes in off our guy. So I guess maybe the hockey gods evened some things out.”