Looking back at the playoff series between the Oilers and Golden Knights in 2023

In each of the past three years, the Edmonton Oilers have been eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup Champions.

In 2022, they were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals. Last postseason, they dug themselves into a 3-0 hole against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals, but forced a Game 7. Sadly, they couldn’t get the job done in the decisive game, falling 2-1.

Sandwiched between those two postseasons was the 2023 postseason. The Oilers defeated the Los Angeles Kings in six games in the first round, setting up a second-round matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, the winners of the Pacific Division. Ironically, it’s almost a carbon copy of the 2025 postseason, only the Oilers finished third in the division instead of second.

Let’s take a look at what happened in that series.

Game 1

The first game of the series was on May 3, 2023, in Sin City. It was the Oilers that opened the scoring, as Leon Draisaitl scored his eighth of the postseason. However, the Knights scored three consecutive goals to take a 3-1 lead. Late in the first period, Draisaitl scored his second of the game to make it 3-2.

There was no scoring in the second period, but early in the third, Draisaitl completed the hat trick with a power-play goal. Sadly, the Knights answered back with two goals in a minute to take a 5-3 lead. Draisaitl scored his fourth of the game with just over 11 minutes left in the game, but Jack Eichel iced the game with an empty net goal.

Former Oiler Laurent Brossoit saved 23 of 27 shots while Stuart Skinner saved 28 of 33 shots.

Game 2

The Oilers got the better of the Knights in Game 2, winning 5-1. It took 2:21 in the first for Draisaitl to score his 12th of the playoffs, once again on the power play. Evan Bouchard made it 2-0 with a power play about five minutes later, before Connor McDavid scored a short-handed goal midway through the first. 

There was only one even-strength goal the Oilers scored in this game, as Draisaitl scored with just under four minutes left in the first period. Midway through the second period, McDavid scored his second of the game and his fifth of the postseason to give the Oilers a 5-0 lead. Early in the third, Ivan Barbashev scored to make it 5-1, but that’s all the scoring in this game.

Skinner had a strong game, saving 30 of 31 shots in the victory. Brossoit allowed five goals on 32 shots, eventually being pulled for Adin Hill.

Game 3

In Game 3, the series shifted to Edmonton. The score finished the same as Game 2, but in favour of the Knights. It started well for the Oilers, as Warren Foegele scored to make it 1-0. Vegas equalized just two minutes later, as Jonathan Marchessault scored his first of the postseason.

With just over eight minutes left in the game, the turning point of the series happened, as Brossoit dove across the crease and injured himself. To this point, Brossoit allowed nine goals on 59 shots for an .847 save percentage. Adin Hill replaced him in this game, saving all 24 shots he faced.

Marchessault scored his second of the game and the eventual game-winner with just 51 seconds left in the first period. Zach Whitecloud scored 7:25 into the second period, with Jack Eichel and Chandler Stephenson adding to the lead as the Oilers fell 5-1.

Game 4

Game 4 will live in infamy until the Oilers win the Stanley Cup. Goals from Nick Bjugstad, Bouchard, and Mattias Ekholm put the Oilers up 3-0 after the first period. With about five minutes left in the second, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored to make it 4-0. Six minutes into the third, the Golden Knights scored their only goal of the game in an Oilers 4-1 victory.

That’s not what’s infamous about this game, though. When you search “Alex Pietrangelo” on YouTube, the first suggestion is his slash on the hands of Leon Draisaitl in the final two minutes of this game. This was not a hockey play, and there was a clear intent to injure. The Golden Knights’ defenceman only got a one-game suspension.