Leon Draisaitl’s Overtime Goal Gives Oilers 2-0 Series Lead Over Golden Knights

On Thursday night, Leon Draisaitl scored the game-winning goal in overtime off a pass from Connor McDavid, leading the Edmonton Oilers to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. The win gives the Oilers a 2-0 lead in the second-round series.

Earlier in overtime, the Oilers had a five-minute power play opportunity after Vegas defenceman Nicolas Roy was given a major penalty for cross-checking. Despite failing to capitalize on that man advantage, Draisaitl and McDavid made sure to make the most of their chance later in the period.

Aside from Draisaitl’s heroics, Vasily Podkolzin, Jake Walman, Darnell Nurse, and Evander Kane also found the back of the net for the Oilers. Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each contributed with two assists, while goaltender Calvin Pickard made 28 saves to secure the win.

On the other side, Victor Olofsson stood out for the Golden Knights with two power-play goals and an assist. Alex Pietrangelo added a goal and an assist, and William Karlsson also scored. Jack Eichel recorded three assists, and Mark Stone had two assists to extend their points streaks. Adin Hill made 33 saves in the losing effort.

Game 3 of the series is set to take place on Saturday night in Edmonton, where the Oilers will look to extend their lead further.

The game was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading blows throughout. Kane’s goal early in the third period gave the Oilers a 4-2 lead, but Olofsson and Pietrangelo responded to tie the game at 4-4. The stage was then set for Draisaitl’s heroics in overtime.

It’s worth noting that the Oilers have now won six consecutive games in which they’ve trailed, showcasing their resilience and ability to come from behind in the postseason.

As for the Golden Knights, they will look to bounce back in Game 3 and avoid being swept for the first time in franchise history. Despite their history of comebacks, they now face an uphill battle against a determined Oilers team.

Notably, the Golden Knights’ impressive streak of 42 consecutive playoff wins when scoring at least three goals came to an end in this game, marking the conclusion of one of the longest such streaks in NHL history.