The Oilers dropped Game 1 against Las Vegas, but Leon Draisaitl was not to blame..Draisaitl was the first Oiler to score four goals in a playoff game since Jari Kurri did it against the Kings in 1987. Unfortunately for the Oilers, he was the only scorer for his team..The Oilers took the lead four minutes into the game, when Draisaitl shot in a one-timer from Connor McDavid on the power play..The Golden Knights pulled ahead on even strength goals from Ivan Barbashev and Michael Amadio and a power play goal from Mark Stone for a 3-1 lead..Draisaitl made a nifty goal with 10.3 seconds left in the period, as he banked a shot from behind the net off the back of Vegas goalie Laurent Brossoit, a former Oiler..The second period was scoreless, but Draisaitl made his hat trick with a power play goal 95 seconds into the third period, tying the game at 3..The Oilers quickly collapsed. Barbashev deflected in a goal 1:01 later, then Chandler Stephenson one-timed a shot past Skinner 50 seconds after that..Draisaitl drew the Oilers to within one, as with 11:27 go to, he ripped another one-timer from McDavid shot for his fourth goal. It was the seventh time an Oiler had ever done that in the playoffs..Draisaitl and McDavid had plenty of ice time as the game wound down, but to no avail. Jack Eichel stripped the puck from McDavid in the Vegas end and shot the puck 190 feet for an empty-netter with 34 seconds left. It was the first time the number two pick in the 2015 draft had faced the number one pick, McDavid, in the playoffs..“They’ve got a lot of skill, so if you turn it over, they’ll make you pay,” Draisaitl said after the game..“We’ve got a lot of great players who can really play with anyone, so there’s nothing to be worried about.”.The Oilers dressed 11 forwards for the game, but lost Mattias Janmark late in the first period. Janmark was engaged with Golden Knight William Carrier. After the two parted, Janmark lost balance, fell backward and hit his head on the boards. He was helped off the ice by a trainer and teammate Evander Kane and did not return to the game. After the game, coach Jay Woodcroft had no update on the injury..The Oilers lost the opening game in seven straight playoff series. Goalie Chris Skinner was named a Calder Trophy finalist earlier in the day and made 28 saves..Among the final eight teams in the playoffs, the Golden Knights have the most players with Stanley Cup final experience (12), versus the Oilers (three)..The winner of the series will play either the Dallas Stars or Seattle Kraken in Round 3. Remarkably, Draisatyl’s four goal performance followed that of Joe Pavelski, who scored all four of Dallas’ goals in a 5-4 overtime loss the night before. Pavelski became the oldest to ever score four goals in an NHL game at 38 years, 295 days.
The Oilers dropped Game 1 against Las Vegas, but Leon Draisaitl was not to blame..Draisaitl was the first Oiler to score four goals in a playoff game since Jari Kurri did it against the Kings in 1987. Unfortunately for the Oilers, he was the only scorer for his team..The Oilers took the lead four minutes into the game, when Draisaitl shot in a one-timer from Connor McDavid on the power play..The Golden Knights pulled ahead on even strength goals from Ivan Barbashev and Michael Amadio and a power play goal from Mark Stone for a 3-1 lead..Draisaitl made a nifty goal with 10.3 seconds left in the period, as he banked a shot from behind the net off the back of Vegas goalie Laurent Brossoit, a former Oiler..The second period was scoreless, but Draisaitl made his hat trick with a power play goal 95 seconds into the third period, tying the game at 3..The Oilers quickly collapsed. Barbashev deflected in a goal 1:01 later, then Chandler Stephenson one-timed a shot past Skinner 50 seconds after that..Draisaitl drew the Oilers to within one, as with 11:27 go to, he ripped another one-timer from McDavid shot for his fourth goal. It was the seventh time an Oiler had ever done that in the playoffs..Draisaitl and McDavid had plenty of ice time as the game wound down, but to no avail. Jack Eichel stripped the puck from McDavid in the Vegas end and shot the puck 190 feet for an empty-netter with 34 seconds left. It was the first time the number two pick in the 2015 draft had faced the number one pick, McDavid, in the playoffs..“They’ve got a lot of skill, so if you turn it over, they’ll make you pay,” Draisaitl said after the game..“We’ve got a lot of great players who can really play with anyone, so there’s nothing to be worried about.”.The Oilers dressed 11 forwards for the game, but lost Mattias Janmark late in the first period. Janmark was engaged with Golden Knight William Carrier. After the two parted, Janmark lost balance, fell backward and hit his head on the boards. He was helped off the ice by a trainer and teammate Evander Kane and did not return to the game. After the game, coach Jay Woodcroft had no update on the injury..The Oilers lost the opening game in seven straight playoff series. Goalie Chris Skinner was named a Calder Trophy finalist earlier in the day and made 28 saves..Among the final eight teams in the playoffs, the Golden Knights have the most players with Stanley Cup final experience (12), versus the Oilers (three)..The winner of the series will play either the Dallas Stars or Seattle Kraken in Round 3. Remarkably, Draisatyl’s four goal performance followed that of Joe Pavelski, who scored all four of Dallas’ goals in a 5-4 overtime loss the night before. Pavelski became the oldest to ever score four goals in an NHL game at 38 years, 295 days.
