The Vegas Golden Knights needed a spark, a moment of magic to remind the hockey world why they were still a threat in this high-stakes Stanley Cup Playoff series. Down 2-0 to the Edmonton Oilers and with Game 3 seemingly headed to overtime, veteran winger Reilly Smith delivered a heart-stopping, last-gasp goal with just 0.4 seconds remaining in regulation to lift Vegas to a dramatic 4-3 victory on home ice.
Smith’s heroics not only snatched a win from the jaws of extra time but also breathed new life into a series that was slipping out of reach for the defending Western Conference champions. With the win, the Golden Knights cut the Oilers’ series lead to 2-1 and reasserted their presence in a matchup that had previously been tilted heavily in Edmonton’s favor.
The game was a high-octane affair from start to finish, featuring elite-level shotmaking, physicality, and the kind of momentum swings that define the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But when the lights shone brightest, it was Smith, one of Vegas’s original “Golden Misfits,” who stepped up and silenced what had been a roaring Edmonton rally.
The final sequence was pure chaos and precision wrapped in a split-second decision. With the clock winding down and the tension in T-Mobile Arena reaching a boiling point, Vegas poured into the offensive zone for one last desperate push. A loose puck bounced in the crease after a deflected shot from defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, and with a crowd of bodies battling for position in front of the net, Smith got his stick on the puck and slid it past Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner just before the horn sounded. The red light flashed, the arena erupted, and the referees immediately gathered to confirm the timing.
After a brief but agonizing review, the goal was upheld. Smith had scored with 0.4 seconds left, one of the latest goals in regulation in NHL playoff history. It wasn’t just a game-winner—it was a season-saver.
“I just saw the puck bounce out and I reacted,” Smith said in the postgame press conference, still catching his breath. “I didn’t know how much time was left. I just wanted to get it on net. To hear the horn and see the light after it went in—it was unbelievable.”
The Oilers, who had won Games 1 and 2 with offensive dominance and power-play superiority, were left stunned on the bench. For long stretches in Game 3, it seemed they might complete the road sweep and all but crush the Golden Knights’ playoff hopes. But Vegas, with its back against the wall, responded like champions.
Edmonton opened the scoring midway through the first period with a sharp-angle wrister from Leon Draisaitl, who continues to light up the postseason. The Golden Knights responded late in the first with a power-play goal from Jonathan Marchessault, his third of the playoffs, as the top line finally found its rhythm after a quiet start to the series.
The second period saw the lead change hands multiple times. Connor McDavid danced his way through the Vegas defense for a spectacular go-ahead goal, his fifth of the postseason, reminding everyone why he remains the NHL’s most dangerous player. But the Golden Knights weren’t deterred. A transition play midway through the second led to Ivan Barbashev tying the game at 2-2, and Vegas would take its first lead of the series moments later on a one-timer from Shea Theodore that beat Skinner glove side.
Up 3-2 heading into the third, Vegas knew the Oilers wouldn’t go quietly. Edmonton pressed aggressively, and their forecheck finally paid off when Zach Hyman crashed the net and cleaned up a rebound to tie the game at 3-3 with 4:56 remaining. That set the stage for what everyone assumed would be overtime. But Smith had other ideas.
Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy praised his team’s composure after the Oilers tied the game. “They didn’t panic,” Cassidy said. “We’ve been in these moments before, and I think the guys knew we still had a chance to win it in regulation. Reilly’s been such a steady presence for us all year, and that finish was exactly what we needed.”
It wasn’t just the game-winner that made Smith’s night special. Throughout Game 3, he played with the urgency of someone unwilling to let his team fall into a 3-0 hole. He logged over 20 minutes of ice time, contributed on both ends of the rink, and was instrumental on the penalty kill that shut down Edmonton’s lethal power play in the third period.
The win marks a pivotal shift in the series. A 3-0 deficit would have been nearly impossible to overcome, even for a team as seasoned as the Golden Knights. But at 2-1, with Game 4 still in Vegas, momentum has started to swing back in their favor. It also casts doubt on Edmonton’s ability to close out high-pressure games—an issue that has haunted them in past playoff runs.
McDavid, clearly frustrated after the game, acknowledged the sting of letting one slip away. “It’s tough. You play 60 hard minutes and then lose like that,” he said. “We’ve got to be better in those final seconds. That can’t happen. But credit to them, they capitalized.”
The Oilers will certainly regroup. Their offensive firepower remains unmatched, and their top players have been delivering consistently. But Game 3 exposed some cracks in Edmonton’s defensive structure—particularly their coverage around the net in the final moments. Vegas exploited that vulnerability, and it could become a major point of emphasis heading into Game 4.
For Vegas, the emotional jolt from such a dramatic win can’t be overstated. The team, known for its resiliency and deep playoff experience, now has belief—belief that this series is far from over and that the path to another Stanley Cup Final might still be alive.
Smith’s goal will go down as one of the most iconic moments in Golden Knights playoff history, right up there with their 2018 inaugural run. It was a reminder that even when the odds seem stacked, even when time is nearly gone, there’s always room for one more miracle.
And for the fans in Vegas, it was a night they won’t forget. T-Mobile Arena shook as fans threw their hands to their heads in disbelief and celebration, a burst of joy and relief from a fan base that’s come to expect drama every spring.
The series resumes with Game 4 on home ice for Vegas, and what was once a lopsided matchup is now a battle. The Golden Knights are alive. Reilly Smith made sure of that.
