WOAH WE’RE HALFWAY THERE!
The Edmonton Oilers have won in overtime in Game 5 to eliminate the Vegas Golden Knights from the playoffs. Edmonton will be advancing to the Conference Final for the second consecutive season, the first time they have accomplished this feat since the 1990–91 and 1991–92 seasons.
Two years to the day since the Golden Knights eliminated Edmonton in the second round of the 2023 NHL playoffs en route to their Stanley Cup victory, the Oilers have gotten revenge.
In a very standard Edmonton-Vegas game, both teams were on top of their games and there was very little action in either direction. Stuart Skinner is playing the best hockey of his career in a shutout streak lasting over two games, thanks to overtime.
A low event game ending 0–0 in regulation went to extra time with a chance for the Oilers to close things out. Kasperi Kapanen, playing his second game of the playoffs, came in clutch to end the series in the first overtime period.
Story of the series
It was a series of ups-and-downs. Two consecutive wins in Vegas to sweep the Golden Knights’ opening homestand left the team on a high note. But, Calvin Pickard, winner of six consecutive comeback victory games, got injured late in Game 2. Game 3 was a disaster as Skinner returned to the crease and the Oilers lost on a Vegas goal with 0.4 seconds left in regulation.
But, the resilience of this Oilers team shone through as they bounced back incredibly well in Game 4 with a dominant performance, leading to the first of Skinner’s shutouts.
Everything was on lockdown in Game 5 as Edmonton, on the back of the other Skinner shutout, closed things out in overtime.
What’s next for the Oilers?
The Oilers will now have a break of an undetermined length while they await news of their next opponent. The winner of the Dallas Stars versus Winnipeg Jets series will face the Oilers in the Western Conference Final.
Dallas is currently leading the series 3–1 with a chance to close it out on Thursday evening.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
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