Forward Reilly Smith scored his second goal of the game with 0.4 seconds left in the third period to get the Vegas Golden Knights back in their series against the Edmonton Oilers.
The wild finish in Saturday’s 4-3 win added to an already dramatic game in which Golden Knights captain Mark Stone left with an injury, injured teammate Brayden McNabb was a surprise participant and Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner started because of an injury to red-hot Calvin Pickard.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid had tied the score with about three minutes left, and the game looked like it was heading to overtime.
But in another defensive breakdown by the Oilers, William Karlsson carried the puck into the zone and fed Smith. He faked a shot, causing Edmonton defenders to drop to the ice in an attempt to make a block. He skated around them and Skinner and put the puck toward the net. It went in off Leon Draisaitl’s stick and out quickly.
An on-ice official waved it off, but officials conferred and said the puck went in. A review confirmed Smith beat the clock.
‘I think from my angle, it looked like it hit the middle bar but it came out so fast and I wasn’t really sure if the time expired,’ Smith told TNT. ‘And I take a peek at the ref and he’s telling me it didn’t go in. We were just fortunate we were able to get something with time running down there.’
The Golden Knights fell behind 2-0 and were able to rally without Stone, who left the game with about six minutes left in the first period. The team said he has an upper-body injury.
Skinner got the start because Pickard is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. It was Skinner’s first start since he was pulled in Game 2 of the first round, leaving him at the time with a 6.11 goals-against average and .810 save percentage.
He stopped 20 of 24 shots, but was victimized by Oilers defensive breakdowns, including a bad line change that led to Karlsson’s goal that gave Vegas a 3-2 lead.
Edmonton’s six-game winning streak, all with Pickard in net, came to an end. The Oilers still lead the series 2-1 with Game 4 Monday night in Edmonton.
Highlights from Game 3 between the Golden Knights and Oilers:
Mark Stone injury update
Coach Bruce Cassidy said Stone is considered day-to-day for now.
‘He obviously didn’t return, we saw that, but it doesn’t preclude him from playing the next game. We’ll know more (Sunday),’ Cassidy said.
Smith, an original Golden Knight who was reacquired at the trade deadline, was one of the players who received more ice time in Stone’s absence.
‘We’d like to have Mark back, obviously,’ Cassidy said. ‘Hopefully, it’s nothing serious. He’s a big part of our team, but guys got to know we got to dig in.’
Oilers vs. Golden Knights highlights
Oilers-Golden Knights score: Reilly Smith gets game-winner
Reilly Smith beats the clock. He fakes a shot, skates around defenders and a challenging Stuart Skinner and shoots. The puck goes in off Leon Draisaitl’s stick with 0.4 seconds left for a 4-3 win. A video review confirms the goal.
Oilers-Golden Knights score: Connor McDavid ties game
McDavid attempts to pass to Zach Hyman, but the puck deflects off Vegas’ Brayden McNabb and past Adin Hill at 16:58.
Big save by Stuart Skinner
He makes a glove save on Nicolas Roy, who was alone in front.
Third period underway
Vegas leads 3-2, but remember that Edmonton has six consecutive comeback wins.
End of second period: Golden Knights 3, Oilers 2
Pretty evenly played period, but the Oilers make a bad line change and William Karlsson scores on a give-and-go at 17:05. Stuart Skinner gives up three goals on 16 shots for the game, but two were the result of Oilers defensive breakdowns. Vegas plays the period without captain Mark Stone (upper body), who won’t return to the game.
Golden Knights on power play
Zach Hyman loses his balance and falls into Adin Hill, knocking off his mask. Connor McDavid has the best chances with a couple shorthanded rushes.
Oilers-Golden Knights score: Vegas takes lead
William Karlsson takes advantage of an Oilers line change and gives the Golden Knights the lead on a give-and-go with Noah Hanifin. Golden Knights 3, Oilers 2
Big save by Stuart Skinner
Skinner dives across to stop a wraparound attempt by Tomas Hertl.
Mark Stone ruled out
The Golden Knights say Mark Stone won’t return to the game because of an upper-body injury.
Second period underway
Still no Mark Stone.
Mark Stone injury update
Golden Knights captain Mark Stone didn’t play the last six-plus minutes of the first period.
End of first period: Oilers 2, Golden Knights 2
Corey Perry gave the Oilers a 2-0 lead, his second goal coming on a power play. But the Golden Knights roared back to tie. On the first Vegas goal, Stuart Skinner couldn’t control a Nicolas Hague shot and Nicolas Roy put in the rebound. The second goal was a great individual rush by Reilly Smith.
Brayden McNabb injury update
Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb, who went hard into the boards after an unpenalized trip in Game 2, is in the Game 3 lineup.
He didn’t take part in the morning skate but skated in warmups and played.
The Golden Knights also got back injured forward Pavel Dorofeyev, their leading goal scorer during the regular season. He replaced Brandon Saad, who’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Forward Nicolas Roy is available after the NHL Player Safety department fined him after a hearing instead of issuing a suspension for his cross-check to Trent Frederic’s face in Game 2.