Well… who saw that ending coming?
Game 3 between the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night appeared headed for overtime once again, after the Oilers’ 5-4 win in the extra frame in Game 2.
The Oilers had tied things up 3-3 in this one with 3:02 remaining in the third period, thanks to a goal from captain Connor McDavid.
But as the clock ticked to mere seconds, William Karlsson and Reilly Smith connected on a last-second play that caught everyone off guard, both on and off the ice.
With Karlsson behind the net and sending the puck out front, Smith picked it up and managed to bait Stuart Skinner far out of his crease before firing the puck toward an open goal.
Leon Draisaitl, who played overtime hero in Game 2, found himself in an unfortunate position this time — his stick down on the ice as Smith’s shot deflected off it and across the goal line with just 0.4 seconds left in regulation.
After a quick review, the referees confirmed the goal, giving Vegas a 4-3 win, their first of the series, to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Here’s a look at some of the immediate reactions to that stunning sequence.