In one of the most dramatic finishes in recent NHL playoff history, the Vegas Golden Knights stole Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals from the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night with a stunning 4-3 win, capped by Reilly Smith’s game-winning goal with just 0.4 seconds left in regulation.
Smith’s shot — which was initially going wide — deflected off Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl’s stick and slipped past goalie Stuart Skinner, leaving the Rogers Place crowd in stunned silence. The goal, coming just a blink before the horn, is now officially the third-latest game-winning goal scored in a third period since the NHL began using tenths of a second in timekeeping. Only Nazem Kadri (0.1 seconds, 2020) and Jussi Jokinen (0.2 seconds, 2009) scored later.
The late heroics gave the Golden Knights a much-needed win, slicing Edmonton’s series lead to 2-1 and avoiding the uncertainty of overtime after Oilers captain Connor McDavid tied the game with 3:02 remaining. McDavid’s centering pass deflected off Brayden McNabb’s skate and beat Adin Hill to knot the score at 3-3, setting up what looked like an inevitable extra period — until Smith’s game-winner.
“This is what the playoffs are about,” Smith said postgame. “Sometimes the bounces go your way, and tonight, we got one when it mattered most.”
The game was a rollercoaster from the opening faceoff. Veteran Corey Perry gave Edmonton an early 2-0 lead, but Vegas responded with resilience, despite losing forward Mark Stone to an upper-body injury in the first period. The Golden Knights rallied with two goals just 54 seconds apart, as Nicolas Roy and Smith both beat Skinner late in the first.
Roy, playing just a day after being fined for a cross-check in Game 2, jammed home a rebound with 4:43 left in the first. Moments later, Smith tied it with a slick backhander through Skinner’s five-hole.
Vegas took its first lead with 2:55 to go in the second period when William Karlsson finished off a give-and-go play with Noah Hanifin, snapping a shot past Skinner to make it 3-2. Skinner, who made 20 saves in relief of the injured Calvin Pickard, was solid but ultimately undone by a cruel bounce off his teammate’s stick.
Adin Hill turned away 17 shots in goal for Vegas, preserving the lead until McDavid’s late equalizer and giving his team the chance to win it at the buzzer.
With the win, Vegas not only clawed back into the series but also dealt a psychological blow to the Oilers, who had rallied to tie the game late but couldn’t hold on. The victory gives the defending champions renewed momentum heading into Game 4 on Monday night, also in Edmonton.
“We needed that one,” said Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy. “We’ve been in these battles before. We know what it takes, and tonight the guys showed heart — especially after losing Mark.”
As the series tightens, all eyes now turn to Monday’s Game 4, where Edmonton will look to respond to one of the most gut-wrenching playoff losses in recent memory, and Vegas will try to ride the emotional wave of an unforgettable finish.
