Great pass by Draisaitl. Excellent work by Nurse to get the puck to the net. Fierce battle by Kapanen and others to get the loose puck and put it home.

However, this was a goal that started far from Adin Hill and involved a player who wasn’t on the ice when it was scored. Adam Henrique. When you hear someone tell you that neutral zone play isn’t all that important to scoring, show them this article. Please show them even if you don’t believe it because I need the hits! Anyway, Adam Henrique, the 35-year-old veteran, made a very subtle play that started the series of events that led to the winning goal.

Henrique was going to head on a change with his linemates, but stopped. Why? Because Vegas had recovered a loose puck near their blueline, and the Vegas forward group had stretched up the ice, outnumbering the Oilers 3v2. So Henrique surfed back to make it a 3v3. The puck came off Jack Eichel and Henrique quickly intercepted the puck and played it back to Brett Kulak. This whole goal started with this very heady play by a guy who has been around the league for a long time. Great disciplined play by him.

The Oilers continued their series of smart plays, this time led by Jake Walman. Recognizing Vegas’ structured defensive approach, Edmonton countered effectively by quickly advancing the puck before the Golden Knights could establish their formation. Walman executed this perfectly, firing an accurate outlet pass directly onto the stick of Vasily Podkolzin at the Vegas blue line. Podkolzin then skillfully protected the puck under pressure, setting the stage for a clever move by Kasperi Kapanen.

Great passing teams thrive on close puck support, with players moving toward their puck carrier to create shorter, more precise passing lanes. When Kapanen moved closer to Podkolzin, he didn’t just offer an easy passing option: he also disrupted Vegas’ defensive arrangement. This subtle yet intelligent positioning created a significant seam in Vegas’ defensive coverage, opening space for a scoring opportunity. As Leon Draisaitl jumped onto the ice for Adam Henrique, he immediately benefited from this stretched-out defence, stepping seamlessly into Podkolzin’s perfectly placed pass.

From this point, the goal unfolds exactly as most would anticipate. Not necessarily because of who scored, but how decisively it happened. Draisaitl quickly spots Nurse in prime shooting territory, and Nurse deserves full credit here for delivering a clean, powerful shot through traffic instead of letting it get blocked at the point.

Now, here’s the critical moment: many defenders instinctively try to “front” their opponent when the puck moves high, stepping in front of attackers to stay closer to the puck. While this aggressive defensive choice can pay off, it’s risky. A miscalculation leaves the defender exposed. In this scenario, Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb are Vegas’ last line of defence. Theodore steps away from Kapanen to contain another Oiler on the wing, while McNabb closely shadows Draisaitl but unintentionally positions himself too high, leaving space behind.

The instant the puck slips past McNabb, Vegas is in serious trouble. Kapanen seizes the opportunity, expertly shielding off defenders, hunting down the loose puck, and decisively burying it. With that, the game is sealed.

This is what the entire sequence of this play looked like from start to finish.

It was a series of very smart players by a group of Oilers, starting with Adam Henrique back at his own blueline. Henrique doesn’t end up with an assist, but he made the biggest play on this goal.

Notes From Game 5

The line on the ice for the series-clinching goal? The dynamic trio of Leon Draisaitl, Vasily Podkolzin, and Kasperi Kapanen. This line was assembled in Game 4 specifically to neutralize Jack Eichel, and it paid off big time. Over the final two games, the Eichel line generated just two high-danger scoring chances while surrendering six. To top it off, Eichel’s line was on the ice when the decisive goal was scored.

Then there’s Stuart Skinner. What a performance. As I emphasized on Oilersnation Everyday with Tyler Yaremchuk and Liam Horrobin, Skinner simply needed to outduel Hill by one save, whether the scoreline was 7-6 or 1-0 made no difference. Skinner delivered exactly what was needed tonight, posting a crucial 1-0 shutout win. Coming off the bench, he closed out this series without allowing a goal in the last 127 minutes. That’s the kind of bounce-back performance champions are made of.

And let’s talk about John Klingberg and Troy Stecher. Both defenders made a significant impact in this series. Klingberg stepped in seamlessly alongside Jake Walman, solidifying a top-notch defensive pairing and rounding out the Oilers’ blue-line depth. Stecher, meanwhile, replaced Ty Emberson and immediately elevated Darnell Nurse’s game. His puck retrieval and crisp passing stood out in both of his appearances. Now, the Oilers head into the Conference Finals boasting a deeper, tighter defensive unit, all accomplished without Mattias Ekholm, who may still return in time for a playoff boost.

That’s a wrap for our Game 5 tactical review. We’ll be back shortly with a detailed tactical breakdown ahead of the Conference Finals. Enjoy the long weekend, recharge, and get ready. Things are about to heat up!