Karlsson becomes father, helps Golden Knights win Game 5 on surreal day

LAS VEGAS --William Karlsson spoke about being proud of himself Friday, and it had nothing to do with the role the Vegas Golden Knights forward played during a 4-3 win against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round.

It instead had everything to do with what Karlsson experienced nearly 17 hours before the puck dropped at T-Mobile Arena.

Karlsson's wife, Emily, gave birth to the couple's first child, a boy they named Beckham, at 1:30 a.m. local time Friday. He was in the delivery room the entire time.

"It was surreal," Karlsson said after getting an assist in the win that gave the Golden Knights a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series. "What an experience. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to watch, but I'm pretty proud of myself. I was able to see the whole thing. I thought it was an amazing experience. When I think about it, what women have to go through, it's pretty incredible. I'm very glad I witnessed the whole thing."

Karlsson said both baby and mom are healthy and doing well, and winning Game 5 was a bonus to a day he will never forget.

Game 6 is at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Sunday (10 p.m. ET; ESPN, CBC, SN, TVAS).

"What do you say, cherry on top," he said. "Yeah. That's a good way to describe it."

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

Karlsson went straight to the hospital immediately after the flight home from Edmonton after Game 4 and landing Thursday afternoon. He stayed until 4 a.m. Friday, when he said Emily told him to go home and get his rest.

"She had her sister and her mom there, so that made me feel better knowing she wasn't alone," Karlsson said.

He got home and slept for what he said was a solid four hours before going to City National Arena, Vegas' practice facility in suburban Summerlin, Nevada, to get food. He skipped the morning skate so he could return home and rest. He said he slept about another four hours and felt ready to go for Game 5.

"Good thing I'm a pretty good napper," Karlsson said, laughing.

Karlsson said he made sure to take a few long, hard strides during warmups to make sure his legs were good to go. He said he felt good all game. He skated 18:53, won eight of 13 face-offs, had four shots on goal and an assist on Reilly Smith's power-play goal that gave Vegas a 3-2 lead at 14:34 of the second period. He played a dominant third period, featuring a 68-second shift that hemmed the Oilers into their defensive zone late in the game. He was on the ice for the final 48 seconds defending a 5-on-6 situation with Edmonton pushing for the tying goal it never got.

"That's obviously a special day for him, but I think you're running on adrenaline then," Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Your baby and your wife are healthy, and that always worries everybody. You come out of that part and you're a dad, so I think whether you sleep an hour or 10 hours you're ready to go. You're just excited. Your life is better. It translates to your mindset coming onto the ice."

Karlsson went back to the hospital to be with Emily and Beckham after Game 5. The Golden Knights depart for Edmonton on Saturday for Game 6 on, ironically, Mother's Day, which has a new meaning for Karlsson.

"I know he probably didn't get a lot of sleep, but that's what the road is for," Vegas forward Jonathan Marchessault said.

Karlsson is actually the second Golden Knights player to have a baby during the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the fourth this season.

Brayden McNabb's wife gave birth to a son during the first round against the Winnipeg Jets, and Brett Howden's wife did the same at the end of the regular season. Mark Stone's wife gave birth to a daughter while he was recovering from back surgery during the regular season.

"It's worked well for us," Cassidy said as he started to laugh. "This is baby No. 4. We may be looking at calling the guys again in July and saying, 'Let's get to work fellas.' Maybe August. I don't know. Work out nine months for me. That's something to consider, a summer project."