'I Was Sure It Was In': Golden Knights Shock Oilers With Rare Last-Second Game-Winning Goal

The Vegas Golden Knights shocked the Edmonton Oilers and their fans in the final second of Game 3.

Despite one last opportunity for Vegas, the game looked like it was headed to overtime for the second time this series, with Edmonton having a chance to take a 3-0 series lead. That would not be the case.

Golden Knights right winger Reilly Smith faked a shot and skated toward the left side of the net. Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner dropped to the butterfly position and shuffled out of the crease toward Smith to cut off any last-second opportunity.

Smith just got his stick past Skinner and threw the puck toward the net. The biscuit went off the stick of Oilers center Leon Draisaitl and in the net.

Smith and teammate William Karlsson were the only players celebrating at first, as the green light went on to signal the end of the period.

As they skated toward the bench, however, the rest of the Golden Knights began to celebrate as well. Upon video review, the puck fully crossed the goal line with 0.4 seconds left in the game.

“I was sure it was in, but I saw the ref wave it off, so that gave me some doubt,” Karlsson told Sportsnet’s Gene Principe post-game. “But then I saw the bench celebrate, so that was a great feeling.”

Just like that, the Golden Knights won the game 4-3 in Edmonton to only trail 2-1 in the second-round series. Karlsson called the goal a huge moment.

“Obviously, a 3-0 deficit, it’s always hard to come back to; history speaks for itself,” Karlsson said. “We’ve always been ‘one game at a time’ mentality, and this was one win on the way.”

Smith’s second goal of the game and third of the playoffs is one of just three game-winning goals in NHL playoff history to be scored in the final second of regulation.

Jussi Jokinen scored for the Carolina Hurricanes with 0.2 seconds left in the first round of the 2009 playoffs. They blew a 3-0 lead to the New Jersey Devils in Game 4 before Jokinen’s tip-in tied the series.

In the round-robin of the 2020 COVID-19 bubble post-season, Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri scored with just 0.1 seconds left on the clock. 

Instead of waiting for overtime, both teams now have to reset for Game 4 on Monday, May 12, at 9:30 p.m. ET.

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