Draisaitl, Oilers recover for OT win against Golden Knights in Game 2

LAS VEGAS -- Leon Draisaitl scored at 15:20 of overtime for the Edmonton Oilers, who recovered for a 5-4 win against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of the Western Conference Second Round at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday.

Connor McDavid made a move around Jack Eichel at the blue line, skated in on a 2-on-1, and passed over to Draisaitl, who buried a one-timer past a sprawling Adin Hill.

“When you have elite talent, those game breakers, they just need a moment or an opportunity to make that play. You saw it tonight,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “Not too often they're quiet for an entire game and don't show up on the score sheet. Tonight, when we needed them most, they made a heck of a play there.”

Draisaitl's goal came after the Oilers, who had blown a two-goal lead in the third period, failed to convert on a five-minute power play earlier in the extra period after Nicolas Roy was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for cross-checking Trent Frederic.

The Oilers lead the best-of-7 series 2-0. Game 3 will be in Edmonton on Saturday (9 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, TNT, truTV, MAX).

“[The 2-0 lead] means nothing if we're not ready to go at home,” McDavid said. “Really, two good efforts here, but it means nothing if we're not ready to roll for Game 3.”

Vasily Podkolzin had a goal and an assist, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Viktor Arvidsson each had two assists for the Oilers, who are the No. 3 seed from the Pacific Division. Calvin Pickard made 28 saves.

“It's everything. It's truly everything,” Draisaitl said. “Our depth has been, for the most part, carrying us through these playoffs, and they're the reason we're in this spot right now. It doesn't matter what line it is. Today, it was our fourth. It got two massive goals.”

Victor Olofsson had two goals and an assist, Alex Pietrangelo had a goal and an assist, and Eichel had three assists for the Golden Knights, who are the No. 1 seed from the Pacific. Hill made 32 saves.

“We deserved more tonight,” Olofsson said. “Unfortunately, it didn't go our way, but we're going to just refocus here on Game 3.”

Olofsson gave the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 8:42 of the first period. He scored with a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle off a pass from Mark Stone, who was along the goal line near the left post.

Jake Walman tied the game 1-1 at 11:31 of the second period, scoring with a one-timer from above the left circle that deflected in off the shin of Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb.

Podkolzin gave Edmonton a 2-1 lead at 15:18 with a shot from the high slot that went underneath Hill’s glove on a rush.

Darnell Nurse pushed the lead to 3-1 at 17:17. McNabb turned the puck over in his own zone to Nugent-Hopkins, who quickly passed to Nurse for a shot from the high slot.

William Karlsson responded 53 seconds later for Vegas, redirecting Eichel's shot five-hole on Pickard to cut it to 3-2.

Evander Kane made it 4-2 at 1:52 of the third period. He took a centering pass from Zach Hyman and scored with a shot that hit off the stick of Pietrangelo and the pad of Hill before bouncing into the net.

Olofsson got the Golden Knights to within 4-3 at 4:32, scoring his second power-play goal of the game with another one-timer from the right circle.

“He shot the puck when it came over to the elbow. That's what he does well,” Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy said. “There was a power play in the second period where he turned down shots. We said: ‘Victor, you're there. You and [forward Pavel Dorofeyev] have good releases, good shots on left sticks. They're one-timers, so shoot it. The puck shows up, be selfish in those situations.’”

Pietrangelo, who missed Game 1 with an illness, tied it 4-4 at 11:58 with a wrist shot from the right point that went through the screen of Tomas Hertl and just inside the left post.

“We were pretty urgent,” Stone said. “We came out good again. I thought we followed it in. I actually thought we were playing a pretty good second period, and then we gave up three goals bang, bang, bang, right? But overall, take the good, look at the bad, and be ready. We've got to win a game on Saturday night.”

NOTE: McNabb left the game at 15:03 of overtime after taking a hit into the boards from Arvidsson. Cassidy did not have an update.