EDMONTON, Alberta — The Edmonton Oilers secured a 3-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday, positioning themselves with a 3-1 lead in the second-round NHL playoff series. Central to this success was Adam Henrique, who netted two goals, and Stuart Skinner, who turned aside 23 shots from the opposition.
Evander Kane contributed significantly, recording both a goal and an assist for the Oilers. Meanwhile, Connor McDavid extended his scoring streak to eight consecutive games with an assist. Following a narrow defeat on Saturday night, with the decisive goal scored a mere 0.4 seconds from the final buzzer, Edmonton now eyes one final victory to progress to the next round, with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday in Las Vegas.
According to Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch, the team was highly motivated following the disappointment of Game 3. “The team was really focused and knew they had to elevate their performance,” he emphasized. This organizational boost on the ice saw Skinner back in goal for Edmonton, stepping in once again for the injured backup, Calvin Pickard. Despite entering this match with a challenging 5.36 goals-against average, Skinner’s playoff record improved to 1-3.
“We went into it with a mindset of hard work and determination,” Skinner noted. “The remarkable consistency and effort we’ve displayed are indicative of the pride and commitment within our squad.”
Adin Hill of the Golden Knights put up a commendable effort with 29 saves, though the team now faces potential elimination. “We just need to perform better,” stated forward Jack Eichel, whose six-game point streak came to an end. “The focus now is on Game 5 at home. All we need is a win, and we’ll take it step by step from there. Overall, we need to improve our play’s cohesion, cleanliness, and urgency as a unit.”
Edmonton wasted no time taking the lead in the game. Connor Brown intercepted a pass behind the net, setting up Henrique for a powerful one-timer past Hill just 1:27 into the first period, marking his second goal of the playoffs.
Henrique found the net once more with 6:57 left in the first, getting the better of Hill after receiving the puck from Zach Hyman. The play led to a physical altercation after Kane collided with the goalie.
Demonstrating his offensive prowess, Kane expanded the lead when he opted for a shot in a 2-on-1 situation, resulting in a fortunate deflection off a defender’s skate at 7:38 into the second period. It marked Kane’s fourth goal of the playoffs.
Notably, the Oilers have maintained an impeccable record in their Game 4 matchups since 2023, achieving victory in all eight.
Reilly Smith from the Golden Knights offered optimism by reflecting on their past performance against the Minnesota team in the first round, where they overcame a 2-1 deficit to win three consecutive games. “We have confidence in our abilities as demonstrated in the previous series, and we’ll proceed one game at a time,” he assured.