The Edmonton Oilers pulled off a gritty 5-4 overtime win Thursday night, grabbing a 2-0 stranglehold on their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights — and doing it the hard way.
Despite coughing up a 4-2 lead in the third period and squandering a five-minute power play in OT, the Oilers survived a chaotic night in Vegas. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, unusually quiet all game, finally struck when it mattered most. McDavid sliced through the neutral zone and fed Draisaitl for the winner at 15:20 of overtime.
“Not our best — not my best — but we found a way,” McDavid admitted post-game.
Edmonton’s stars had been held off the scoresheet until that moment, and the power play is still 0-for-12 on the road this postseason. But the difference this year? Everyone’s stepping up.
The Oilers now have goals from all 12 forwards just eight games into the playoffs. On Thursday, it was depth players and goalie Calvin Pickard keeping them alive. Pickard outdueled Adin Hill and made several key saves before leaving the game with an apparent injury.
“Tonight it was Picks, and I thought it was Janne’s line,” said Zach Hyman, pointing to the fourth line’s big second period.
Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy was left stunned.
“We kept McDavid and Draisaitl off the board for 60 minutes and didn’t win,” he said. “They don’t need much, right?”
The series shifts to Rogers Place on Saturday, where Edmonton can push Vegas to the brink in front of a roaring home crowd.
“It means nothing if we’re not ready to go at home,” said McDavid.
But if Game 2 proved anything, it’s that these Oilers are finding ways to win — even when their stars don’t shine until overtime.
