The Oilers return home to host the Golden Knights in Game 3 on Saturday night at Rogers Place with a 2-0 lead in their Second Round series
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The Edmonton Oilers return to Rogers Place to host the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 on Saturday night with a 2-0 lead in their Second Round series.
You can watch the game on Sportsnet at 7:00 p.m. MDT or listen live on the Oilers Radio Network, including 880 CHED.
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The Oilers take a 2-0 series lead with a 5-4 overtime victory in Game 2
EDMONTON, AB – You’re going to need to steal a few victories if you want to lift the glorified silver chalice at the end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
“Not too often after a game where a goalie lets in four goals are you raving about how well he played, and tonight, the amount of good quality chances that we gave up, Picks stole it for us,” Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said after Thursday’s sudden-death triumph in Game 2.
“If you’re going to have a long run in the playoffs, you need your goalie to play like that once in a while and steal one.”
After the Edmonton Oilers did just that by holding off the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4 in overtime of Game 2 at T-Mobile Arena to take a 2-0 series lead back to Oil Country, the task turns now to making it count on home ice, because it’ll be all for nothing if you can’t capitalize on these opportunities when they arrive.
“Probably fortunate to find a way to win, but you’ve gotta win these ones too, because it’s not going to be your best every single night, and we found a way to win on an off night,” Connor McDavid said.
“But it means nothing if we’re not ready to roll for Game 3,” he added.
Connor speaks after the Oilers win 5-4 in overtime in Game 2
Just like they did in Las Vegas by winning both games on the road, receiving a terrific 28-save performance from Calvin Pickard before Leon Draisaitl closed out a crazy overtime period at T-Mobile Arena, the Oilers have to find a way on home ice in Game 3 on Saturday night to take command of the series.
And make no mistake – Rogers Place will be rocking for Games 3 & 4 with the chance to finish off the Golden Knights on home ice.
“I expect an outstanding atmosphere where our players are very motivated and feel good in the environment,” Knoblauch said on Friday morning. “The fans bring it every night in the playoffs, and it’s been phenomenal. I know that we enjoy that, and I would expect it’ll be a great atmosphere.”
McDavid admitted it was a struggle for himself and Leon Draisaitl for most of Game 2 before the two superstars combined with 4:40 left in overtime to score the decisive tally on a fast break two-on-one, releasing any doubt they might’ve had about stealing a win after it was looking like it might not be their night.
“We’ve come from behind lots. We obviously gave up a lead today. We’ve won overtime games. We’ve won different ways,” McDavid said. “You’ve got to do that this time of year. The group’s obviously feeling confident, but I feel like our best is still coming. We’re just building and building our game. I feel like our best is still coming, and I hope we see it at home here.”
Draisaitl scores the winner as the Oilers edge the Golden Knights
In overtime, Edmonton’s power play failed to capitalize on a five-minute power play when Trent Frederic was cross-checked up high by Nicolas Roy for a major penalty, or on two point-blank chances for Hyman and McDavid that both struck iron to have the Oilers fearing it’d come back to haunt them.
“They did a good job on the kill. We didn’t create overly much,” Draisaitl said of the extended power play. “And then, I think human nature and your brain goes to ‘they’re going to throw one on net and it’s going to go in and it’s over.'”
Viktor Arvidsson avoided any punishment for a trip that took out Brayden McNabb as he chased down a dump-in, and the Oilers found the goal they needed soon after when Evan Bouchard’s rimmed pass from the defensive zone was moved to a speeding Connor McDavid near the Golden Knights’ bench by Corey Perry to set up an odd-man rush for the game’s two greatest players.
After flat-footing Jack Eichel in the neutral zone to create the two-on-one, McDavid’s pass to Draisaitl eluded Alex Pietrangelo before the German ended the game by beating a diving Adin Hill to earn the Oilers their sixth straight comeback victory, extending their NHL record and the series lead to 2-0.
“We didn’t have much going on,” Draisaitl said of him and McDavid. “A couple great plays, and that’s all Dave-O. It’s tough to really even celebrate my part of the goal. I think it’s his timing, and then just an amazing play by Corey to get it off the wall. That’s not a great situation to be in [for Pietrangelo] when you have 97 coming at you at full steam, so just an all-world play.”
Leon talks after scoring the overtime winner in Game 2 vs. Vegas
It was the first overtime playoff goal in NHL history in which three former MVPs (McDavid, Draisaitl, and Perry) factored in to provide the winner, but the story of this postseason for the Blue & Orange continues to be its depth, who despite the captain’s winner carried the group to victory once again in Game 2.
Jake Walman and Vasily Podkolzin each scored their first career playoff goals as part of a three-goal second period from the Oilers, with Darnell Nurse and Evander Kane tacking on Edmonton’s next two goals to make it 4-2 before the Golden Knights fought back to force overtime in the final frame.
Podkolzin was the last among Oilers forwards who suited up this series to find the scoresheet and owns the sixth highest points-per-60 in the 2025 playoffs at 4.17 with five points (1G, 4A) in eight games despite averaging only 9:46 of ice time. The Russian winger added an assist to record his first career multi-point playoff game on the tally for Walman, who increased his league-leading plus-minus in the playoffs to +11.
“It’s everything. It’s truly everything,” Draisaitl said of everyone chipping in with offence. “Our depth has been, for the most part, carrying us through these playoffs, and they’re the reason we’re in this spot right now. It doesn’t matter what line it is.
“It takes everybody,” McDavid added. “We know that, you know, everyone knows that. It takes everyone up and down the lineup and we’re getting help all over.”
In between the pipes, Calvin Pickard made a handful of vital saves in the second period to keep it 1-0 for the Golden Knights before Walman’s point shot kickstarted Edmonton’s push to take the lead through their depth scoring.
Pickard was steady when Vegas was pressing early in overtime, and the 33-year-old has now stopped 64 of 68 shots during the third period and overtime of these 2025 playoffs before he improved to 6-0-0 as the third goalie in Oilers history to win each of his first six starts of a postseason.
Over their six-game winning streak, the Oilers as a team have dominated the third period and overtime with a 15-3 goal advantage.
