last-Second Drama: Leon Draisaitl's Own Goal Secures Vegas Golden Knights Victory in Game 3
Intense Conclusion: Draisaitl's "Owner's Gate" Lockout Seals Oilers' Plea
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In a nail-biting finish in the NHL playoff quarterfinals, the Edmonton Oilers succumbed to a dramatic defeat in Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights, with superstar Leon Draisaitl contributing in a compelling yet unfortunate manner. With the final buzzer imminent, overtime seemed inevitable, but Vegas pulled off a shocking last-ditch effort. Reilly Smith attempted a shot from a sharp angle, and, as fate would have it, the puck deflected off Draisaitl's stick, creeping into the net with mere moments to spare - 0.4 seconds before the end of regulation time. The Oilers lost 3-4, with the series now standing at 1-2 in favor of Vegas.
Draisaitl reflected on the team's defensive lapse before the decisive goal, commenting, "We didn't do a good job." He further expressed his sentiments about his own unlucky deflection: "Then it was just bad luck, it was unfortunate. The puck bounced off my stick, and I'm just trying to keep it out of the net. It's just a stupid bounce."
Almost the latest in NHL playoff history
Two days earlier, Edmonton had won Game 2 thanks to Draisaitl's overtime goal, and this time around, he had a hand in the proceedings again - albeit in a different capacity. In the eccentric realm of ice hockey, own goals do not exist, and the goal is credited to Smith. Interestingly, although no goal has been scored later in regulation time in NHL playoff history than the one scored by Leon Draisaitl, a more recent incident involving Cole Perfetti of the Winnipeg Jets comes close. On May 4, 2025, Perfetti notched a goal with three seconds remaining in regulation, the closest recorded instance to the 0.4 seconds before the end of regulation time in recent NHL playoff history[4].
"It's an unfortunate way to lose," Draisaitl sighed, having assisted on the goals that made it 1-0 and 3-3. Looking ahead to the future, he stated, "Tomorrow is a new day. It's good to be up 2-1. The day after tomorrow, we want to go up 3-1, then it's on to Vegas." In a separate encounter, the Carolina Hurricanes won 4-0 at home against the Washington Capitals, taking a 2-1 series lead.
- NHL
- Ice Hockey
- Leon Draisaitl
Leon Draisaitl's own goal in the NHL playoff quarterfinals secured the Vegas Golden Knights' victory in Game 3, marking one of the latest goals in NHL playoff history. Despite contributing two goals in the game, Draisaitl expressed disappointment about his unlucky deflection that led to the decisive goal.
