Game 2 delivered all the drama we expect from the playoffs, showcasing the exhilarating highs and crushing lows. When the dust settled, the Edmonton Oilers came out on top, taking down the Vegas Golden Knights 5-4 in overtime in a game where it had just about everything.
In a frantic 15 minutes of overtime, Game 2 saw chaos unfold at every turn. From Nicolas Roy’s inexplicable crosscheck to Trent Frederic face which ended up drawing a five-minute major (he’s set to have a hearing with the Department of Player Safety tonight), set the stage for a controversial no-call that allowed the Oilers to capitalize and secure the 5-4 win.
Related: Oilers Defeat Golden Knights 5-4 in Overtime, Lead Series 2-0
With all that, the Golden Knights now see themselves in a 2-0 hole. This is something they are all too familiar with, but just on the other side. During the 2024 playoffs, they held a 2-0 lead on the Dallas Stars but eventually crumbled, losing three straight and the series in seven games.
Overtime was chaotic, hectic, and about every other adjective that goes with those two. So, let’s break it down and unravel what happened in overtime.
Major Penalty Nearly Replicates 2019 Nightmare
In a battle for the puck to the left of Calvin Pickard, both teams were in a scramble, with Roy and Frederic among the mix. After a struggle, Roy turned and cross-checked Frederic squarely in the face, a move that immediately got the attention of the officials and everyone on the ice.
They called it as a five-minute major penalty and confirmed it after review. The review was done rather quickly, and Roy was sent off with a game misconduct.
The call echoed a similar situation from the 2019 playoffs, when Cody Eakin was assessed a major penalty in a pivotal moment. Now, the Golden Knights faced the task of killing off a major penalty in overtime, and doing so without Roy, one of their most reliable penalty killers.
“I think the adrenaline carried them through,” head coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Listen, if you don’t kill it, you’re done. So there’s no worrying about what’s happening after it’s killed. It’s kind of like, OK, let’s get our footing after that, and we did and, unfortunately, kind of derailed that part.”
Vegas went on to kill the major penalty, with Adin Hill making several high-level saves throughout. He wasn’t at his best during the course of Game 2, but he was dialed in during Roy’s penalty, which gave the Golden Knights another fighting chance at winning.
“There are positions and areas of the game that you gotta outplay them,” Cassidy said. “He’s going to have to do that at some point. That’s just the make-up of any series, usually.”
Roy will have a hearing on his cross-checking major on Frederic tonight. This will likely see him suspended as usually, suspensions come out of hearings rather than fines.
Controversial No Call on McNabb
With the five-minute major behind them, both teams traded chances at either end of the rink, coming close to breaking the deadlock on several occasions. Tomas Hertl nearly found the back of the net for Vegas, while Zach Hyman came within inches of scoring, ringing a shot off the post.
Then with a little under five minutes to go in overtime, Brayden McNabb and Viktor Arvidsson were chasing the puck to the right of Hill and Arvidsson got his stick in between McNabb’s legs, which caused him to fall shoulder first into the boards. He left the game and did not return.
There was no penalty called on the play and the Oilers went on to to win it less than a minute after thanks to the Oilers dynamic duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
“Listen, Gord’s looking at it,” Cassidy said. “He blew it. He blew the call. I don’t know what else to say. It’s a can-opener trip. It’s a dangerous play. It’s all those things. It didn’t get called, so you gotta keep playing.”
McNabb’s status status for Game 3 is in the air and he could be out for an extended amount of time, which would be a big blow to the Vegas’ defense.
“I mean, it’s pretty clear it’s a penalty,” Golden Knights captain Mark Stone said. “He sends him head first in the boards. Pretty clear cut penalty in my eyes and I think everybody’s eyes. It’s just a dirty play, and we don’t get the call.”
McDavid and Draisaitl Sink Vegas With Overtime Goal
McDavid and Draisaitl were kept off the board the entire night in Game 2 and generated nothing through 60 minutes of regulation. Sure, they had some chances, but they weren’t on the scoresheet, and Vegas did a great job defending them.
That was until, in overtime, McDavid flew past Eichel at the point and dished one off to Draisaitl, who slapped it home for the win. That was their first point of the night, and as it turned out, the only points they needed to come out on top.
“They made the play at the end,” Cassidy said. “They don’t need much, right? So, credit to their depth, they found ways to score. But tonight we did a good job on them.”
It was good on Vegas’ part but just not good enough, and that’s the case sometimes in the playoffs. The Golden Knights now trail 2-0, and they travel to Edmonton for pivotal Games 3 and 4.
Golden Knights Down 2-0, What’s Next?
Down 2-0 in the series, the Golden Knights now face an uphill battle with just a 14% chance to come back. But this isn’t the first time they’ve found themselves in such a position. In the second round in 2021, they pulled off a comeback against the Colorado Avalanche, and now they’ll need to win four of the next five to return to the Western Conference Final for the second time in three seasons. Game 3 is set for Saturday at 6:00 p.m. PDT in Edmonton.
