The Edmonton Oilers won an epic Game 5 on Wednesday night at T-Mobile Arena to send the Vegas Golden Knights packing for the summer.
Unlikely hero Kasperi Kapanen got the game-winner at 7:19 of the extra overtime frame to send the Oilers back to the Western Conference Final. Here’s a look at the game-winning tally:
Last year, the Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars in six games to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. This season, a rematch between Dallas and Edmonton is looming on the horizon. In the meantime, the Oilers have a chance to savor a well-deserved series win after bouncing the Pacific Division winners in five games.
The biggest storyline of the last two games for the Oilers has been the re-emergence of Stuart Skinner. Many of us had written Skinner off, following Calvin Pickard’s outstanding performance in the Los Angeles series and the beginning of the Vegas showdown.
Unfortunately, an injury to Pickard forced Kris Knoblauch to go back to Skinner, and well, he has not disappointed. His tremendous performance in Game 5, notching a shutout in the process, was the difference on the night.
It’s worth pointing out that the Oilers had their chances throughout the game. In particular, Leon Draisaitl had a splendid chance to end the game on a breakaway in overtime. But Adin Hill was equally as good as Skinner.
In the end, the Oilers were who cashed in on the best chance they had. Earlier in the game, Brett Howden missed a glorious opportunity to send the series to Game 6. But it was not meant to be and the Oilers ended up taking the series in five.
Showdown looming with the Dallas Stars for Edmonton Oilers
The Dallas Stars will have a chance to send the Winnipeg Jets packing with a win in Game 5 on Thursday night. The Stars have a commanding 3-1 series lead and don’t look like they’re slowing down any time soon.
As such, the Oilers-Stars rematch from last season promises to be the best series in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.
It’s tough to call a winner at this point. The Stars have proven to be the best team in the postseason at the moment. It seems that the series will boil down to each team’s superstars rising to the occasion.
But given the way this showdown is shaping, it could be unsung heroes like Kasperi Kapanen who could make the difference in the series.
If the Oilers can get around the Stars' tight-checking style much the way they did last year, the series could swing in the favor.
The biggest question mark, however, will be Skinner. At this point, he has earned the net. While he may have a relatively short leash, as long as he continues playing well, the Oilers could be in a good spot to head back to the Stanley Cup Final.
Recent Posts