Dramatic Final Act: Draisaitl's "Owner's Gate" Shuts, Edmonton Oilers Bemoan Bid
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NHL heartbreak: Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers fall short in game three against the Vegas Golden Knights, losing in the final seconds of regulation.
With the clock winding down, fans at Rogers Place in Edmonton were on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating overtime. But Vegas had other plans. In a last-ditch effort, Reilly Smith took a sharp-angle shot - and with a cruel twist, the puck bounced off Draisaitl's stick and into the net mere seconds before the final buzzer. The Oilers fell 3-4, putting Vegas just one win away from tying the series at 2-2.
A disappointed Draisaitl offered a candid assessment of the team's defensive performance in the crucial moments. "We didn't execute well," he conceded, before lamenting his own unfortunate play. "The puck just took a crazy bounce off my stick, and I was scrambling to keep it out."
Latest Regulation Time Goal in Playoff History
Remarkably, this was not the first instance of late-game heroics for Draisaitl in this series. Two days earlier, he helped clinch game two with an overtime goal. Yet, this time he found himself on the wrong end of an unlikely play. Officially, the goal was credited to Smith, but in hockey, there are no own goals.
According to ESPN's database, no goal scored after regulation time in NHL playoff history is as recent as this one. It's estimated that the latest documented late-game goal occurred back in 1970[4].
"It's frustrating to lose like that, especially when we fought so hard to get back into the game," Draisaitl admitted, reflecting on his team's resilience. "But tomorrow is a fresh start. We're still in the driver's seat with a 2-1 lead, and we're focused on extending it."
Meanwhile, the Carolina Hurricanes claimed victory over the Washington Capitals by a score of 4-0, giving them a 2-1 lead in their series.
Sources: ntv.de, tno/sid
Additional Insights
- The 2025 NHL playoffs have seen several late-game goals, including 11 game-tying goals scored within the final 10 minutes of regulation through the first 37 games[2].
- Cole Perfetti of the Winnipeg Jets also scored a tying goal with one second remaining in regulation, against the Dallas Stars[1].
- The heartbreaking defeat of the Edmonton Oilers was a result of Leon Draisaitl inadvertently deflecting the game-winning goal in the final seconds of regulation, giving the Vegas Golden Knights the 3-4 victory.
- Despite the loss, Draisaitl remains focused for the upcoming games, acknowledging their 2-1 series lead and vowing to extend it.
- Interestingly, according to ESPN's database, the latest documented late-game goal in NHL playoff history occurred a few days ago – a testament to the unpredictable nature of sports.
- Meanwhile, another significant matchup saw the Carolina Hurricanes shutting out the Washington Capitals, securing a 2-1 series lead for themselves.
- In a parallel event, Cole Perfetti scored a tying goal for the Winnipeg Jets with just one second left in regulation, showcasing another instance of exhilarating late-game drama in this year's NHL playoffs.
