Connor McDavid netted a goal 1:17 into overtime to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a 4-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.
McDavid maneuvered around a defender and lifted a shot over Adin Hill for his league-leading 16th goal of the season.
“It was rough right from the start for me,” McDavid said. “I struggled with the puck all night, changed sticks a couple of times, dropped my stick, lost a mouth guard several times… It was messy, but I stuck with it and made an impact when it counted.”
Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft praised McDavid’s instinct in crucial moments.
“I think anybody can see blood. He’s one of the special ones that can smell it,” he said. “(He) obviously made some plays that helped us win the game and came through when it mattered most.”
Warren Foegele, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 10-8-0. They had previously lost five of seven overall and three consecutive home games.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins contributed three assists, and McDavid added another. Stuart Skinner made 31 saves.
Mark Stone scored twice for the Golden Knights, while Keegan Kolesar added a goal. Adin Hill stopped 19 shots. Vegas has lost three of four, bringing their record to 14-4-1.
“We did a good job fighting our way back into the game, but unfortunately, they made a play in overtime and got the win,” Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We want two points. We are a good overtime team.
“We started with the puck and had our opportunity to generate something, and they checked it back, so good for them. There were some positives in getting a point. If we had started a little better and cleaner, maybe we would have gotten the two. But, at the end of the day, we’ll take the one.”
UP NEXT
- Golden Knights: Visit Vancouver on Monday night to wrap up a two-game trip.
- Oilers: Travel to New Jersey on Tuesday night to start a three-game trip to New York.
