Adam Henrique scored a pair of first-period goals, Stuart Skinner stopped all 23 shots he faced, and the Edmonton Oilers blanked the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 on Monday night to seize a commanding 3-1 lead in their second-round playoff series.
Evander Kane added a goal and an assist for Edmonton, while Connor McDavid recorded an assist to extend his point streak to eight games. Game 5 is set for Wednesday in Las Vegas, where the Oilers will look to close out the series.
Coming off a heartbreaking Game 3 loss on a goal with just 0.4 seconds left, Edmonton responded with urgency.
“After the way Game 3 ended, everyone knew they had to elevate their game,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. “Tonight, they did just that.”
Skinner was back between the pipes after Calvin Pickard, who had won six straight playoff starts, exited with an injury in Game 2. Skinner entered Monday with a 5.36 goals-against average in the playoffs but delivered his best postseason performance.
“We just got to work,” Skinner said. “The consistency this group has shown is something special. It says a lot about the pride we play with.”
Vegas goaltender Adin Hill made 29 saves but didn’t get much support. The Golden Knights are now one loss away from elimination.
“Just got to be better, plain and simple,” said Jack Eichel, whose six-game point streak ended. “We go back home for Game 5 — win that one, and go from there.”
The Oilers struck early, as Connor Brown forced a turnover behind the Vegas net and fed Henrique in the slot for a one-timer just 87 seconds into the game. Later in the first, Zach Hyman battled for the puck behind the net and found Henrique again in front for his second goal of the period — his first multigoal playoff game since his rookie year in 2012. The play sparked a scrum after Kane collided with Hill in the crease.
Kane added an insurance goal midway through the second, converting on a 2-on-1 when his shot deflected off a defender’s skate and into the net for his fourth goal of the playoffs.
The Oilers have now won eight consecutive Game 4s dating back to 2023.
Despite the setback, Vegas forward Reilly Smith noted the team’s resilience, referencing their comeback from a 2-1 deficit against Minnesota in the first round.
“We’ve been here before,” Smith said. “We believe in this group — it’s all about taking it one game at a time.”