Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl makes ‘tough’ confession on game-winning goal

Surprisingly, McDavid and Draisaitl had been held off the scoresheet for the entire game before combining for the winner. But it shows how Edmonton’s depth has stepped up in the playoffs. Every forward has scored at least one goal in the 2025 postseason so far.

“It shows the deepness of our team,” said defenseman Jake Walman, who scored his first career playoff goal. “Anybody can contribute at any point, and then you saw at the end our big dogs took over.”

“Everybody talks about, since I’ve been here, the team heavily relies on Connor and Leon,” echoed Zach Hyman, who added an assist. “They’re special players, and they’re going to win us games. But if you want to win a Stanley Cup, you need everybody. You need everybody contributing. It’s a really good thing for a team that kind of depth and that depth being able to provide.”

Despite coming within one victory of a Stanley Cup championship last season, depth was a consistent problem for the Oilers throughout the 2024 postseason. That has not been the case at all this time around with all four lines contributing.

On Thursday night, that was fourth-liners Vasily Podkolzin and Viktor Arvidsson. They combined for four points despite seeing less than 12 minutes of ice time each.

“It’s everything. It’s truly everything,” Draisaitl said. “Our depth has been, for the most part, carrying us through these playoffs. And they’re the reason we’re in this spot right now. You need it at this time of year.”

Oilers in phenomenal shape after 2 road wins over Golden Knights

After coming out on top in both road games against the 2023 champs, the Oilers will have a chance to take a 3-0 stranglehold on the series on Saturday night at home.

It’s been an incredible turnaround for Edmonton. They were down 2-0 to the Los Angeles Kings in Round 1 but have now racked up six consecutive victories. And in all six of them, they’ve come from behind to secure the W.

After being down 1-0 in the second period, the Oilers scored three unanswered goals on Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill in the second frame. Although they blew a 4-2 lead in the third period, Draisaitl and McDavid came through in the clutch in overtime.

“When you’ve got elite talent, those gamebreakers, they just need a moment or an opportunity to make that play,” head coach Kris Knoblauch said of the OT winner. “It’s not too often they’re quiet for an entire game and don’t show up on the scoresheet. When we needed them most, they made a heck of a play there.”

Now just two wins away from their second straight trip to the Western Conference Final, the resurgent Oilers will look to make it seven consecutive wins at Rogers Place on Saturday night.