Draisaitl scores in OT to give
Oilers a 5-4 win over Golden Knights and a 2-0 series lead
[May 09, 2025]
By MARK ANDERSON
LAS VEGAS (AP) — It's not often that Leon Draisaitl and Connor
McDavid don't make it onto the scoresheet, but they were noticeably
quiet for nearly the entire game Thursday night.
Nearly.
Draisaitl took a pass from McDavid and scored off the rush at 15:20
of overtime to give the Edmonton Oilers a 5-4 victory over the Vegas
Golden Knights on Thursday night and a 2-0 lead in the second-round
series.
After failing to capitalize on a five-minute power play when Vegas
defenseman Nicolas Roy was assessed a major penalty for
cross-checking 5:37 into overtime, the Oilers didn’t waste the
opportunity later when the NHL’s most dynamic offensive duo combined
for the winner.
Draisaitl said McDavid's pass was so spectacular that “it's tough to
even celebrate my part of the goal.”
He said that tongue in cheek, but the game's ending was no laughing
matter to the Golden Knights, who were critical that a penalty
wasn't called on Viktor Arvidsson after defenseman Brayden McNabb
went into the boards and then to the locker room. The Golden Knights
went from a potential power play to watching Draisaitl and McDavid
skate off in victory.
“(Referee) Gord's (Dwyer) looking at it,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy
said. “He's looking at it. I don't know what else to say. It's a can
opener trip. It's a dangerous play.”
Vasily Podkolzin, Jake Walman, Darnell Nurse and Evander Kane also
scored for the Oilers, and Arvidsson and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each
had two assists. Calvin Pickard, who appeared to be shaken up when
Vegas’ Tomas Hertl fell on his left leg in the third period, made 28
saves.
Victor Olofsson scored two power-play goals and had an assist for
the Golden Knights, Alex Pietrangelo had a goal and an assist, and
William Karlsson also scored. Jack Eichel had three assists, and
Mark Stone two assists to extend their points streaks to five games
apiece. Adin Hill stopped 33 shots.
Game 3 is Saturday night in Edmonton.
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Edmonton Oilers celebrate after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights
in overtime of Game 2 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series
Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Kane’s goal 1:52 into the third period made it 4-2
before Olofsson answered less than three minutes later off a
cross-ice pass from Eichel. Pietrangelo, who missed Game 1 because
of an illness, tied it with 8:02 left with a shot from the right
point.
The Golden Knights scored the only goal in the first period on
Olofsson's power-play shot from the right circle. Eichel set up the
play by passing to Stone, who from below the goal found an open
Olofsson for his first career playoff goal.
Edmonton rolled off three goals in a row in the second period — all
from distance. The Golden Knights quickly responded with Karlsson's
redirect of Eichel's shot with 1:50 left in the period cut it to to
3-2.
The Oilers, who trailed 1-0 after one period, have a record six
consecutive comeback victories in a single postseason.
Vegas has never been swept in its eight-year history and even
rallied from 2-0 down in 2021 to beat Colorado in six games, though
that series began on the road. The Golden Knights also have been
eliminated in five games just twice, including the 2018 Stanley Cup
Final against Washington.
The Golden Knights’ 42-game playoff winning streak when scoring at
least three goals ended. It was the second longest in NHL history to
Montreal’s 52-game streak in 1945-57, according to Sportradar.
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