GAME CHANGER: Klefbom's equalizer

David Desharnais said it best following Game 5 of the opening round series between the Edmonton Oilers and the San Jose Sharks.
"Anyone can be a hero - it just takes one shot."

Despite Pat Maroon giving Edmonton the lead just 5:28 into the game, the Sharks came storming back to the tune of three unanswered goals. Mark Letestu would cut the Sharks lead in half at 18:33 of the second to breathe life into the Rogers Place crowd.

But time was running out on the Oilers. Minutes ticked off the clock in the third and it wasn't until there was only 2:46 left in the game that they'd even things up.
Desharnais shielded the puck as he skated wide around the Sharks net. As he reached the far faceoff dot, the forward slipped it up to Oscar Klefbom, who activated from the blueline.
The Oilers defenceman stepped into the shot and sizzled the puck through everybody, including goaltender Martin Jones. The puck clanged off the post and in, and the scene in Edmonton turned to absolute pandemonium.
The scene on the bench was equally jubilant as the players celebrated the big goal.

You can debate momentum in sports all you want but that goal definitely provided a boost to the Oilers. They outshot the Sharks 14-2 in overtime, all leading up to Desharnais' winner at 18:15 of the extra period. You could tell that once Klefbom scored that goal, the Oilers would not be denied victory.
It was quite the game-changing moment for arguably the Oilers best defenceman all year long. Klefbom is coming off a career year in 2016-17. The blueliner posted career highs in goals (12) and points (38) last season. In the playoffs, Klefbom had two goals and three assists in 12 games.
He buried two goals in the series against the Sharks, but none bigger than the equalizer on April 20, which truly was a game changer.