Last-Minute Heartbreak: Leon Draisaitl's Own Goal Secures Vegas' Win Over Oilers in Game 3
Draisaitl's property entrance has been blocked off or locked up.
Get ready for a rollercoaster ride in the NHL playoffs! Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers experienced some heart-wrenching moments in Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights. With the clock ticking down and overtime on the horizon at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Vegas pulled off an improbable last-ditch effort. Reilly Smith fired from an acute angle, and with a bad bounce, Draisaitl's stick redirected the puck into the net with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock. Fans watched in disbelief as the Oilers lost 3-4, making the series 1-2 in Vegas' favor.
After the loss, a dejected Draisaitl spoke candidly about his team's defensive blunder leading up to the decisive goal and his unfortunate part in the sequence: "It was just bad luck, just an unlucky bounce. I was trying to keep the puck out of the net, but it wasn't meant to be."
Late-Game Heroics: A Regulation Rarity
In a twist of irony, just two days prior, Draisaitl helped secure a victory for the Oilers in Game 2 against Vegas with an overtime goal. This time, his goal was credited to Reilly Smith. Interestingly, no goal in NHL playoff history has been scored later in regulation time than Draisaitl's unfortunate own goal against Vegas.
Showing resilience after the setback, Draisaitl expressed hope for the future: "Tomorrow is another day. We have a 2-1 series lead, and we want to push that to 3-1 before heading to Vegas. It's good to be up. We have a great opportunity here." Elsewhere in playoff action, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Washington Capitals at home 4-0, taking a 2-1 series lead as well.
Enrichment Insights:
- Time of Goal: Scored with 0.4 seconds remaining in regulation.
- Game Context: The goal decided the outcome of Game 3 in favor of the Golden Knights.
- How it Happened: Reilly Smith's shot from the side of the ice seemed to be heading wide but was deflected by Leon Draisaitl into his own net.
- Historical Significance: While not the latest goal in playoff history in terms of timing, it is notable for being a decisive own goal in a critical game situation.
Despite the heartbreaking last-minute own goal by Leon Draisaitl, he previously helped the Edmonton Oilers secure a victory in Game 2 against Vegas with an overtime goal. This own goal, deflected with 0.4 seconds left, is historically significant as no goal in NHL playoff history has been scored later in regulation time. Despite the unfortunate loss, Draisaitl remains optimistic, hoping to push the series lead to 3-1 before the Oilers head to Vegas. In another game, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Washington Capitals at home, taking a 2-1 series lead as well.
