The NHL playoffs continue to deliver excitement, with Saturday night providing a truly stunning finish. Reilly Smith of the Vegas Golden Knights scored a dramatic buzzer-beater to win the game against the Edmonton Oilers, keeping his team`s hopes alive in their second-round series.
Smith was undoubtedly the standout performer, netting two goals in Vegas`s crucial 4-3 Game 3 victory. His first goal was a display of skill, navigating through three Oilers defenders before executing a slick move on goaltender Stuart Skinner. Impressive as that goal was, it would be overshadowed by the game`s final moments.
The reason the first goal became secondary was Smith`s incredible game-winning goal with just 0.4 seconds remaining. This dramatic finish provided a massive boost to the Golden Knights, especially after Connor McDavid had tied the game with little time left (3:02), seemingly pushing the game towards overtime or another difficult loss for Vegas before Smith`s heroic play.
In another playoff matchup on Saturday night, the Carolina Hurricanes secured a less dramatic but equally dominant 4-0 victory over the Washington Capitals. Goaltender Frederik Andersen was a key factor, shutting out the Capitals by stopping all 21 shots directed at him, including several high-quality scoring chances.
Given their impactful performances, it`s no surprise that Smith and Andersen were selected among the night`s “3 Stars,” recognizing the top players from Saturday`s Stanley Cup Playoff games.
The Night`s 3 Stars
3. Corey Perry | RW | Edmonton Oilers
Veteran forward Corey Perry showed that age is no barrier in Game 3. His two goals in the first period not only gave the Oilers an early lead but also etched his name in history. Perry opened the scoring just over seven minutes in with a shot past Adin Hill after a pass from Connor McDavid, and added his second less than four minutes later by tipping in an Evan Bouchard shot. At 39 years old, Perry became the oldest player in Oilers history with a multi-goal playoff game and the third-oldest in NHL history to score two goals in a single playoff period.
2. Frederik Andersen | G | Carolina Hurricanes
Frederik Andersen`s status was uncertain after missing a previous game due to injury, but he returned in top form for Game 3 against Washington. Andersen was flawless, stopping all 21 shots for a shutout. While the shot volume wasn`t high, he faced a significant number of high-danger opportunities (8), outperforming the opposing goalie Logan Thompson (7) in this regard. According to Natural Stat Trick, Andersen`s performance saved 1.71 goals above average, demonstrating his critical role in the Hurricanes` dominant defensive effort.
1. Reilly Smith | RW | Vegas Golden Knights
With Mark Stone sidelined by injury for much of Game 3, Reilly Smith stepped up for the Golden Knights when they desperately needed a lift. Smith had already scored a spectacular goal earlier in the game to tie the score at 2-2. However, his most impactful moment came after Connor McDavid tied the game late in the third period, making overtime seem likely.
As the clock wound down, William Karlsson flipped the puck towards the net. It found Smith in the high slot, who calmly faked out two defenders and waited for Skinner to commit before firing the puck into the net with only 0.4 seconds left, securing the game-winning goal.
