0.4 Seconds Ago: The Heartbreak Ending - Draisaitl's Fumble Seals Oilers' Defeat
Draisaitl's "Owned Entryway" has been securely shut.
Hop on Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp, or shoot an email, because there's quite the buzz in the NHL world! The Edmonton Oilers, led by superstar Leon Draisaitl, went down in flames in Game 3 of their series against the Vegas Golden Knights. With the final buzzer loud and clear, the German energetically puts up a fight, but it's too little, too late.
Just as fans at Rogers Place in Edmonton were preparing themselves for some overtime action, Vegas made a last-ditch effort. Reilly Smith unleashed a shot from a sharp angle, and, deflected off Draisaitl's stick, the puck found its way into the net 0.4 seconds before the end of regulation time. The heartbroken Oilers lost 3-4, with Las Vegas narrowing the series to 1-2.
"We weren't at our best tonight," Draisaitl grimly admitted about his team's defensive strategy leading up to the decisive goal. Then, he shared his feelings about his mishap: "It was just rotten luck, a painful twist. The puck ricochets off my stick, and I'm just trying to keep it out of the net. It's just a fluke bounce."
Latest Regulation Time Goal in Playoff History
Two days earlier, Edmonton had steered Game 2 in their favor with Draisaitl's goal in overtime. This time, he was a part of the saga - but unlike the sweet taste of victory, this goal was a bitter pill to swallow. According to ESPN's records, no goal has ever been scored later in regulation time in the NHL playoffs.
"It's an unfortunate way to lose," Draisaitl confessed, who had set up the goals for 1-0 and 3-3 and showed resilience, "Tomorrow is a brand-new day. It's good we're up 2-1. The next day, we want to boost our lead to 3-1, then it's off to Vegas." In the second game of the day, the Carolina Hurricanes triumphed 4-0 at home against the Washington Capitals and clinched a 2-1 lead in the series.
- NHL
- Ice Hockey
- Leon Draisaitl
Sources:
- ntv.de
- tno/sid
Enrichment:
- Game Outcome: Edmonton Oilers lost to Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on May 11, 2025.
- Last-Second Goal: Reilly Smith of the Golden Knights shot a puck that missed its mark, but Leon Draisaitl inadvertently tipped it into his own net with 0.4 seconds left in the game.
- Impact of the Own Goal: The own goal proved to be a game-changing moment, giving the Golden Knights a crucial win and potentially shifting the series momentum.
- Draisaitl's Performance: Draisaitl had a rare off night, contributing to various goals against, including a turnover that led to Vegas's first goal and a sloppy change that resulted in another goal.
- Reaction and Analysis: Draisaitl described the final play as "unlucky" and "unfortunate," sharing that he was trying to prevent the puck from entering the net. The loss now puts pressure on the Oilers to bounce back in the next game and avoid losing both home games, which could help the Golden Knights recover in the series.
- In the NHL world, the Edmonton Oilers, led by Leon Draisaitl, suffered a heartbreaking defeat in Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights, losing 3-4, due to a deflected goal off Draisaitl's stick in the final 0.4 seconds of regulation time.
- Leon Draisaitl, who contributed to the goals for 1-0 and 3-3, admitted that the Oilers were not at their best and expressed his disappointment over the own goal that sealed their defeat.
- The late goal scored by Reilly Smith of the Vegas Golden Knights, deflected off Draisaitl's stick, stands as the latest regulation time goal in NHL playoff history.
- In the ongoing NHL series, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers will aim to boost their lead to 3-1 in the next game, hoping to avoid losing both home games and improve their chances against the Vegas Golden Knights.
