Despite conceding three power-play goals, the Vegas Golden Knights are now just one win away from the Western Conference Final, largely thanks to their penalty kill.
With a two-goal lead entering the third period and facing a 4:36 major penalty against the NHL’s most lethal power play, the Knights allowed one more goal and held on to defeat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 on Friday night.
“That could’ve been a turning point in the game big time, and we got through it,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Even though we lost the special teams battle three goals to two, I think in our minds we won.”
Jack Eichel scored a goal and added two assists as the Knights took a 3-2 series lead. Mark Stone, Reilly Smith, and Nic Hague also found the net, while Jonathan Marchessault tied a franchise playoff record with three assists. Adin Hill made 31 saves.
Connor McDavid netted two power-play goals for the Oilers, Zach Hyman contributed a goal and an assist, and Evan Bouchard and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each tallied two assists. Stuart Skinner was pulled late in the second period after allowing four goals on 22 shots, and Jack Campbell stopped all nine shots he faced in relief.
Game 6 is set for Sunday in Edmonton, Alberta.
Both teams were without key defensemen. The Knights’ Alex Pietrangelo was suspended for this game due to a slashing incident against Leon Draisaitl at the end of Game 4. Edmonton’s Darnell Nurse sat out after receiving an instigator and misconduct penalty in the same game.
McDavid and Hyman scored in the first 10 minutes to give Edmonton a 2-1 lead. McDavid’s goal, just 3:02 into the game, continued a trend.
The Oilers have scored within the first 6:46 of each game this series, and within the first four minutes in all but one. Vegas responded to these early deficits to win Games 1 and 3 but couldn’t recover in the other two.
The Knights turned the game around with three goals in a span of 1:29 in the second period, marking the fastest three goals in a playoff game in their six-year history.
“It’s not like we don’t want to score the first goal,” Cassidy said. “Don’t take yourself out the game in the first period. One goal shouldn’t do that, whereas it did the other night in Edmonton.”
Two goals came on the same power play—Stone at 5-on-3 and Smith at 5-on-4. Hague soon scored from near the blue line, chasing Skinner from the net. This was the third time this postseason Skinner was pulled in favor of Campbell.
“Jack came in and did his job,” Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said. “He gave us a chance to win the game, and I thought our team pushed hard in that third period. I thought that the power play did its thing right off the bat. We had numerous chances to tie it up.”
The five-minute power play came when Vegas appeared to carry all the momentum into the third period. Keegan Kolesar shoved Edmonton’s Mattias Ekholm into the boards with 20.9 seconds left, earning a game misconduct penalty.
McDavid scored 2:40 into the third period, but that was the only goal on the power play, allowing the Knights to stay ahead at 4-3. This was McDavid’s seventh goal of the playoffs.
“That’s the difference in the game,” Hill said. “You give two there, and it’s a tie game, and who knows what happens from there? Our guys did a great job bearing down.”
McDAVID UP FOR LEAGUE MVP
McDavid is one of three finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league’s most valuable player. He led the NHL in goals (64), assists (89), and points (153) this season, all career highs.
Should he win, it would be McDavid’s second Hart Trophy in three years and third since 2017. Also nominated are forwards David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins and Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers.
MARATHON DAY FOR KARLSSON
William Karlsson played nearly 19 minutes and had an assist despite having slept only four hours after his wife, Emily, gave birth to a boy early Friday morning. Karlsson is the sixth new father on the team.
“We may be calling the guys again in July or August, ‘Let’s get back to work fellas,'” Cassidy said. “So that would be something to consider — a summer project.”