Golden Knights defeat Oilers in Game 5, take lead in Western 2nd Round

LAS VEGAS -- Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists, and the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round at T-Mobile Arena on Friday.

Vegas leads the best-of-7 series, 3-2. Game 6 will be in Edmonton on Sunday.

"[Adin Hill] obviously made some big saves. Our [defensemen] played great," Eichel said. "You start off [the third period] by killing a penalty against a good power play, I know we gave one up, but it was good that we got out of that while still having a lead. We still pushed forward. We had some shifts in their end where we were able to possess the puck. Things like that add up."

Jonathan Marchessault had three assists, Mark Stone, Nicolas Hague and Reilly Smith scored, and Hill made 32 saves for Vegas, the top seed from the West.

"We did a great job. We beared down and limited their chances. We had a great game for 60 minutes tonight," Hill said. "It just shows how good we are. We're a strong group. It doesn't matter who's on the ice. We can roll four lines with anyone."

RELATED: [Complete Golden Knights vs. Oilers series coverage]

Connor McDavid scored twice, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had three assists for Edmonton, the No. 2 seed from the Pacific Division. Stuart Skinner allowed four goals on 22 shots before being pulled in the second period. Jack Campbell made nine saves in relief.

"We gave up two 5-on-5 goals in a similar manner. We had numerous chances 5-on-5 to convert," Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft said. "In those games where we won in this series, we didn't give up four or more goals. We did some good things tonight. In the end, that segment in the second period hobbled us and we weren't able to get it done."

With Edmonton ahead 2-1 in the second period, the game turned when Vegas went on a 5-on-3 power play.

Stone tied it 2-2 at 14:05. He he took a pass from Eichel to the left of the net, cut to the slot and wrapped a shot around Skinner off the base of the right post.

Smith gave the Golden Knights a 3-2 lead 29 seconds later when Ivan Barbashev's pass deflected off McDavid's skate to him in the slot at 14:34, and Hague made it 4-2 at 15:34 on a shot from the left point.

"In the playoffs, there are so many different momentum swings in the game," Smith said. "The team who can handle them better and control them usually ends up on top. We did a better job tonight."

Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar was issued a five-minute boarding penalty and a game misconduct at 19:36, and McDavid cut it to 4-3 at 2:40 of the third period when he weaved through two defenders to score from the slot off his own rebound.

McDavid gave the Oilers a 1-0 lead on the power play at 3:02 of the first period when Nugent-Hopkins' shot deflected off Stone's stick to McDavid in the left face-off circle.

Eichel tied it 1-1 at 3:52, skating fom behind the net to sweep in the rebound of an Alec Martinez shot.

Zach Hyman gave Edmonton a 2-1 lead on a power play after Nugent-Hopkins' shot bounced off Hill's left pad and off Hyman's glove at 9:56.

The Oilers went 3-for-4 on the power play; the Golden Knights went 2-for-7.

"Even though we lost the special teams battle three goals to two, in reality, in our minds, we won," Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. "That's how we look at it. Our 5-on-5 game again was solid. We've been typically the better team for most of the games."

NOTES:The three goals in 1:29 were the fastest three goals in the playoffs in Golden Knights history. … Defensemen Darnell Nurse of the Oilers and Alex Pietrangelo of the Golden Knights were suspended for the game for actions in Game 4, Nurse for instigating a fight with Hague at 19:10 of the third period, and Pietrangelo for slashing Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl at 18:33 of the third. Philip Broberg played 6:01 in place of Nurse, and Ben Hutton replaced Pietrangelo and blocked one shot in 12:24. … Eichel (13 points; six goals, seven assists) has the most points by a Golden Knights player through the first 10 games of a postseason (Stone, 12 points, 2019). … Forward Teddy Blueger had one hit in 6:59 in his Vegas playoff debut and first game since April 13. He was a healthy scratch the previous nine playoff games. … Marchessault tied the Golden Knights record for most assists in a playoff game (William Karlsson, three, Game 4, 2021 second round).