{"id":13027,"date":"2025-05-13T09:38:45","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T09:38:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=13027"},"modified":"2025-05-13T09:38:45","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T09:38:45","slug":"reilly-smith-scored-with-0-4-seconds-left-in-regulation-in-a-4-3-victory-for-the-golden-knights-in-game-3-that-cut-the-oilers-series-lead-to-2-1-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asport.com.ng\/?p=13027","title":{"rendered":"Reilly Smith scored with 0.4 seconds left in regulation in a 4-3 victory for the Golden Knights in Game 3 that cut the Oilers series lead to 2-1."},"content":{"rendered":"

Miracle in Vegas: Reilly Smith\u2019s Buzzer-Beater Revives Golden Knights in Game 3 Thriller<\/strong><\/h1>\n

At first, it looked like another heartbreaking night for the Vegas Golden Knights. Another game slipping away, another step closer to playoff elimination. But then, with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock and the scoreboard tied, a hockey miracle unfolded on the T-Mobile Arena ice. Reilly Smith, veteran winger and original \u201cMisfit,\u201d became the unexpected hero, wristing a shot through traffic that nicked Leon Draisaitl\u2019s stick and fluttered past goaltender Stuart Skinner. The red light flashed, the horn blasted, and 18,000 fans erupted in euphoric disbelief.<\/p>\n

Vegas had won. They weren\u2019t done yet.<\/p>\n

The 4\u20133 victory didn\u2019t just save the Golden Knights from a disastrous 3\u20130 series deficit to the Edmonton Oilers\u2014it reignited a franchise, jolted the series to life, and gave Smith his place among the most clutch moments in Stanley Cup Playoff history.<\/p>\n

There are buzzer-beaters, and then there\u2019s what Smith did.<\/p>\n

After a frantic final minute of pressure in the Oilers’ zone, the puck found its way to Jack Eichel behind the net. With barely five seconds on the clock, Eichel wheeled a backhand pass up the left side to Smith. There wasn\u2019t time to think\u2014just react.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew the clock was ticking down,\u201d Smith said after the game, still catching his breath and processing the surreal finish. \u201cI didn\u2019t know how much time was left, but I figured it was now or never.\u201d<\/p>\n

His quick shot sliced through a screen, caught the blade of Draisaitl\u2019s stick, and redirected past Skinner before the clock ticked to zeros. Official review confirmed it: 0.4 seconds remained when the puck crossed the line.<\/p>\n

The building nearly lost its roof. Smith, normally reserved, let out a rare celebration, throwing his arms in the air and leaping into the boards as teammates mobbed him. Vegas wasn\u2019t dead\u2014they were very much alive.<\/p>\n

The drama of the final second overshadowed what had already been a wild 59 minutes.<\/p>\n

Edmonton came out flying, with Corey Perry\u2014yes, the 39-year-old playoff warrior\u2014opening the scoring midway through the first period. He struck again in the second with a tip-in that gave the Oilers a 2\u20130 lead. It looked like the Pacific Division champs were in real trouble.<\/p>\n

But Vegas clawed back, as they\u2019ve done so many times before. Nicolas Roy got the Knights on the board late in the second, and William Karlsson tied it with a snipe from the slot early in the third. For the fifth time this postseason, Karlsson found the back of the net, continuing a resurgent playoff run that\u2019s mirrored his career-long clutch reputation.<\/p>\n

Still, Edmonton wasn’t done. Connor McDavid, who had been relatively quiet in Game 2, flashed his brilliance with a go-ahead goal just three minutes later. His acceleration created separation from Shea Theodore, and a quick backhand-forehand move beat Adin Hill top shelf.<\/p>\n

3\u20132, Oilers. Vegas was reeling.<\/p>\n

Momentum was swinging like a pendulum, and the Knights weren\u2019t about to let this one slip. Jack Eichel, the engine of Vegas\u2019 offense all night, orchestrated the tying goal with just over five minutes left. Eichel collected a pass in transition and slid a no-look dish to Jonathan Marchessault, who returned the favor seconds later with a perfect cross-ice feed. Eichel buried the shot glove-side.<\/p>\n

Tie game, 3\u20133.<\/p>\n

Marchessault, with three assists on the night, tied a Golden Knights playoff record. Eichel finished with three points and a plus-2 rating. But their greatest contribution might have been creating the chaos that allowed Smith the opportunity to play hero.<\/p>\n

When the puck hit the net at 0.4 seconds, it became the third-latest game-winning goal in NHL playoff history. More than a statistical anomaly, it was a psychological dagger. The Oilers, who were 0.4 seconds away from a stranglehold 3\u20130 series lead, suddenly found themselves in a fight.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt stings,\u201d said Oilers captain Connor McDavid. \u201cWe played a good game, but you can\u2019t let it get to that point. We gave them too much space in the last 10 seconds. That\u2019s on us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy called it \u201cone of the gutsiest wins\u201d he\u2019s ever been part of.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe lost our captain [Mark Stone] early in the first. Guys were adjusting mid-shift. The bench was scrambling. But they kept pushing,\u201d Cassidy said. \u201cThat last play? That was years of chemistry and guts all coming together in a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not all was celebratory for Vegas. Mark Stone left the game late in the first period with what the team is calling an upper-body injury. He did not return and is listed as day-to-day. Stone, often the emotional heartbeat of the team, had been effective in the first two games and was skating on the top line with Eichel and Smith.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re hoping it\u2019s not serious,\u201d Cassidy said postgame. \u201cWe\u2019ll evaluate and see what we\u2019re dealing with.\u201d<\/p>\n

If Stone can\u2019t go for Game 4, it could be a major blow\u2014but one that Vegas seems mentally prepared for.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis team\u2019s been through injuries all season,\u201d Eichel said. \u201cGuys step up. It\u2019s what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another storyline was Edmonton\u2019s goaltending dilemma. Calvin Pickard, who had won the starter\u2019s job after Skinner\u2019s early-round struggles, left the game midway through the second after a collision in the crease. Skinner came in cold and allowed two goals on 13 shots\u2014including the game-winner.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unclear whether Pickard will return for Game 4, but head coach Kris Knoblauch was noncommittal.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll assess Calvin tomorrow,\u201d he said. \u201cStuart\u2019s been a pro all season. We trust him. But tonight was tough for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Playoff hockey in Vegas is unlike anything else in the NHL. The fortress was deafening during pregame, but the roof truly blew off in the final second.<\/p>\n

Fans tossed hats, waved flags, and sang along as \u201cViva Las Vegas\u201d blared from the speakers. It felt like 2018 again\u2014when Smith and the other original \u201cMisfits\u201d led the inaugural Knights to the Stanley Cup Final.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I came back,\u201d Smith said of the atmosphere. \u201cThis city is magic in the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n

What once looked like a pending sweep now feels like a series destined for seven games.<\/p>\n

Game 4 looms as a critical test for both teams. Will Vegas carry the momentum and even the series? Will Edmonton bounce back with vengeance? The pressure now swings onto the Oilers\u2019 shoulders, as Vegas will enter Thursday\u2019s Game 4 at home with renewed swagger.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one game,\u201d Cassidy cautioned. \u201cWe haven\u2019t won anything yet. But we gave ourselves a chance. And that\u2019s all we needed tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the Golden Knights go on to win the series\u2014or more\u2014this game, this goal, will become a permanent part of franchise lore. Reilly Smith has had bigger statistical games. He\u2019s scored in Stanley Cup Finals. But nothing quite like this.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot sure it\u2019s sunk in yet,\u201d he admitted in the locker room, surrounded by a sea of reporters. \u201cAsk me in a week.\u201d<\/p>\n

But it didn\u2019t take a week for the fans to decide. Outside the arena, a fan held up a sign that read: \u201c0.4 = Forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

It just might be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Miracle in Vegas: Reilly Smith\u2019s Buzzer-Beater Revives Golden Knights in Game 3 Thriller At first, it looked like another heartbreaking night for the Vegas Golden Knights. 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