<p>After taking both games in Vegas and returning to Rogers Place with a chance to put a stranglehold on the series, the Edmonton Oilers failed to take advantage of the opportunity after a Vegas Golden Knights goal with only 0.4 seconds left on the clock sealed their fate with <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-lose-game-3-golden-knights-game-winning-goal-0-4-seconds-left">a 4-3 loss</a>. Game on, we have a new series.</p>
<h2 class="p1"><strong>0.4 SECONDS TO HEARTBREAK</strong></h2>
<p>I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced a loss like that. After Connor McDavid tied the game with 3:02 to go, it looked like the boys were going to get the game to overtime, only to have things go sideways with less than a second left. We went from the highest highs to the lowest of lows in a snap, and I’m still not sure if I’ve processed the pain. No matter how you slice it, that was a painful way to lose. I would have rather lost in overtime than have things play out the way they did. To be that close and still fall short is a tough pill to swallow.</p>
<p>The worst part about that loss was that it likely gave Vegas hope that they can turn this series around. Not only did they find a way to narrow the gap to a 2-1 series, but they also proved to themselves that they can win in our barn. As much as I’m complaining about losing with so little time left, the reality is that the Golden Knights were the better team for the bulk of the game, and they ended up with the result they deserved. To say that I expected more after grabbing that early 2-0 lead would be the understatement of the century, and I can’t even begin to describe how disappointed I am in how our boys let that lead slip away and ended up in a position where they were chasing the game.</p>
<h2><strong>STUART SKINNER&#8217;S FIRST SINCE GAME 2</strong></h2>
<p>Finding out that <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/calvin-pickard-absent-edmonton-oilers-morning-skate-stuart-skinner-starts-game-3">Calvin Pickard was going to miss Game 3</a> was tough news to hear on Saturday morning, but I was hopeful that Stu would find a way to carry the torch. After taking over the net in <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/04/25/instant-reaction-third-period-rally-oilers-beat-kings-game-3/">Game 3 against the Kings</a>, Pickard gave the Oilers six consecutive wins with scrappy goaltending and a fantastic ability to close out games. Not to mention, our pal Cal was arguably Edmonton’s best player three nights ago. Even so, Pickard’s loss meant an opportunity for Stuart Skinner to get back between the pipes and show the haters that he was capable of backstopping this club to a win. He waited like a good teammate for six games, but now it was his moment to shift the narrative.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Saturday’s performance won’t do much to quiet the noise. Instead, having Skinner give up four goals — three he’d probably want to have back — will only make the detractors get louder and louder. And from my spot in the stands, I’m having a hard time disagreeing, even though the coverage in front of Skinner in most of those situations was anything but pretty. But even though there were breakdowns that led to quality scoring chances for the Golden Knights, Skinner failed to come up with the clutch saves we needed from him. Instead, we’re talking about how a .833 save percentage on 24 shots spoiled a night when the counterpart was only able to muster a .850 save percentage. The lane for the win was there; we just didn’t get enough saves to get there.</p>
<h2><strong>COREY PERRY KEEPS SHINING</strong></h2>
<p>If I’m going to include a silver lining on the game, it has to be the two goals from Corey Perry. Despite turning 40 years old in a few days, Perry was arguably the Oilers’ best forward despite playing only 15:18 in TOI. Yes, there were the two goals he scored, which were displays of the veteran forward’s hands and smarts, but he was also one of the few Oilers forwards who was able to create offence with any regularity. Even when he’s not scoring goals, he’s doing the Wormy nonsense that has made opponents hate him for the last two decades. I wish the Oilers had two or three more guys as consistently annoying as Perry.</p>
<p>I think the thing I like most about the way Perry is playing right now is that there’s nothing fancy about it. Instead of trying to dangle guys and make highlight-reel passes, the Worm simply gets himself to the front of the net and battles until the puck eventually arrives. It’s the kind of greasy play that works in the playoffs, and I wish the rest of <a href="https://oilersnation.com/combinations">the lineup</a> would adopt some of that mentality. Having Perry score two goals in very different ways makes the loss feel even worse because it wasted what was a stellar night by the 20-year veteran. Either way, the guy is having an incredible season, and it’s been so much fun watching him prove the doubters wrong. If only we could convince some of his teammates to be more like Corey.</p>
<h1>OTHER THINGS WORTH MENTIONING</h1>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Recapping Game 3 - Vegas Golden Knights vs. Edmonton Oilers | Oilersnation After Dark" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uAoRsSvLHPE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<p><strong>1.</strong> As much as losing with 0.4 seconds on the clock was annoying, I still don&#8217;t think it was as frustrating as the boys blowing their early two-goal lead. I was begging for a good start <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/game-preview-9-edmonton-oilers-stranglehold-game-3-vegas-golden-knights-7-pm-cbc">in the GDB</a> I wrote for <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-golden-knights-game-3-information-line-combinations-starting-goaltenders">Game 3</a> and they the boys got it, so to have them piss that start away was a swift kick to the shin that none of us needed or deserved.</p>
<p><strong>2.</strong> Doesn&#8217;t Connor McDavid tying the game with minutes left to play only to have the moment get ruined feel a lot like what happen in <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/04/21/instant-reaction-oilers-comeback-lose-game-1-kings/">Game 1 vs. Los Angeles</a>?</p>
<p><strong>3.</strong> At least the special teams came through? Unlike what we saw in Games 1 and 2, the Oilers were able to kill off both shorthanded situations they faced while also scoring a power play goal on one of their two chances with the man advantage. Baby steps, my friends. Baby steps.</p>
<p><strong>4.</strong> I know +/- isn&#8217;t everyone&#8217;s favourite stat these days, but I do think it was notable that Darnell Nurse finished the night with a -3 rating. Of the Oilers defencemen, only <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/03/09/jake-walmans-puck-moving-impact-oilers/">Jake Walman</a> had a +1 rating while the rest of his teammates were even at best. We need that entire group to be better in Game 4, but especially guys like Nurse who routinely log more ~25 minutes per night.</p>
<p><strong>5.</strong> I&#8217;m convinced more than ever that Leon Draisaitl is hurt. He doesn&#8217;t look like himself, and since we know he&#8217;s risen in the playoffs before even with a litany of ailments, you&#8217;d have to assume he&#8217;s pretty banged up right now if he&#8217;s being this quiet. I don&#8217;t know anything about anything, but I won&#8217;t be surprised when we fight out he&#8217;s been fighting through something significant.</p>
<p><strong>6.</strong> If there&#8217;s one thing I know about Mother&#8217;s Day, it&#8217;s that moms love faceoff percentages. That&#8217;s why I&#8217;m here to tell your mom that the Oilers won  57.7% of the draws. You&#8217;re welcome, moms.</p>
<h2><strong>PRESENTED BY ODD COMPANY</strong></h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-161882 aligncenter" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2099/02/website-banner-727x404-1.png" alt="" width="727" height="404" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2099/02/website-banner-727x404-1.png 727w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2099/02/website-banner-727x404-1-300x167.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 727px) 100vw, 727px" /></p>
<p>We’re beyond excited to announce our latest partnership with Odd Company Brewing to bring you <a href="https://www.oddcompany.ca/new-blog/2024/10/8/nationbeer-everyday-lager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the all-new Nation Beer</a> Everyday Lager! Whether you&#8217;re watching the big game, chilling with friends, or just kicking back after a long day, this crisp, refreshing lager is the perfect choice. It’s the brew you can count on anytime, anywhere. So, why not make it your next game-day tradition? Nation Beer Everyday Lager is available now at Odd Company Brewing and through Liquor Connect. Don’t miss out—grab yours today and take your beer game to the next level! Cheers, Nation Citizens!</p>


Edmonton Oiler Stuart Skinner allows goal Vegas Golden Knights

After taking both games in Vegas and returning to Rogers Place with a chance to put a stranglehold on the series, the Edmonton Oilers failed to take advantage of the opportunity after a Vegas Golden Knights goal with only 0.4 seconds left on the clock sealed their fate with <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-lose-game-3-golden-knights-game-winning-goal-0-4-seconds-left">a 4-3 loss</a>. Game on, we have a new series.
<h2 class="p1"><strong>0.4 SECONDS TO HEARTBREAK</strong></h2>
I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced a loss like that. After Connor McDavid tied the game with 3:02 to go, it looked like the boys were going to get the game to overtime, only to have things go sideways with less than a second left. We went from the highest highs to the lowest of lows in a snap, and I’m still not sure if I’ve processed the pain. No matter how you slice it, that was a painful way to lose. I would have rather lost in overtime than have things play out the way they did. To be that close and still fall short is a tough pill to swallow.

The worst part about that loss was that it likely gave Vegas hope that they can turn this series around. Not only did they find a way to narrow the gap to a 2-1 series, but they also proved to themselves that they can win in our barn. As much as I’m complaining about losing with so little time left, the reality is that the Golden Knights were the better team for the bulk of the game, and they ended up with the result they deserved. To say that I expected more after grabbing that early 2-0 lead would be the understatement of the century, and I can’t even begin to describe how disappointed I am in how our boys let that lead slip away and ended up in a position where they were chasing the game.
<h2><strong>STUART SKINNER'S FIRST SINCE GAME 2</strong></h2>
Finding out that <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/calvin-pickard-absent-edmonton-oilers-morning-skate-stuart-skinner-starts-game-3">Calvin Pickard was going to miss Game 3</a> was tough news to hear on Saturday morning, but I was hopeful that Stu would find a way to carry the torch. After taking over the net in <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/04/25/instant-reaction-third-period-rally-oilers-beat-kings-game-3/">Game 3 against the Kings</a>, Pickard gave the Oilers six consecutive wins with scrappy goaltending and a fantastic ability to close out games. Not to mention, our pal Cal was arguably Edmonton’s best player three nights ago. Even so, Pickard’s loss meant an opportunity for Stuart Skinner to get back between the pipes and show the haters that he was capable of backstopping this club to a win. He waited like a good teammate for six games, but now it was his moment to shift the narrative.

Unfortunately, Saturday’s performance won’t do much to quiet the noise. Instead, having Skinner give up four goals — three he’d probably want to have back — will only make the detractors get louder and louder. And from my spot in the stands, I’m having a hard time disagreeing, even though the coverage in front of Skinner in most of those situations was anything but pretty. But even though there were breakdowns that led to quality scoring chances for the Golden Knights, Skinner failed to come up with the clutch saves we needed from him. Instead, we’re talking about how a .833 save percentage on 24 shots spoiled a night when the counterpart was only able to muster a .850 save percentage. The lane for the win was there; we just didn’t get enough saves to get there.
<h2><strong>COREY PERRY KEEPS SHINING</strong></h2>
If I’m going to include a silver lining on the game, it has to be the two goals from Corey Perry. Despite turning 40 years old in a few days, Perry was arguably the Oilers’ best forward despite playing only 15:18 in TOI. Yes, there were the two goals he scored, which were displays of the veteran forward’s hands and smarts, but he was also one of the few Oilers forwards who was able to create offence with any regularity. Even when he’s not scoring goals, he’s doing the Wormy nonsense that has made opponents hate him for the last two decades. I wish the Oilers had two or three more guys as consistently annoying as Perry.

I think the thing I like most about the way Perry is playing right now is that there’s nothing fancy about it. Instead of trying to dangle guys and make highlight-reel passes, the Worm simply gets himself to the front of the net and battles until the puck eventually arrives. It’s the kind of greasy play that works in the playoffs, and I wish the rest of <a href="https://oilersnation.com/combinations">the lineup</a> would adopt some of that mentality. Having Perry score two goals in very different ways makes the loss feel even worse because it wasted what was a stellar night by the 20-year veteran. Either way, the guy is having an incredible season, and it’s been so much fun watching him prove the doubters wrong. If only we could convince some of his teammates to be more like Corey.
<h1>OTHER THINGS WORTH MENTIONING</h1>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAoRsSvLHPE

<strong>1.</strong> As much as losing with 0.4 seconds on the clock was annoying, I still don't think it was as frustrating as the boys blowing their early two-goal lead. I was begging for a good start <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/game-preview-9-edmonton-oilers-stranglehold-game-3-vegas-golden-knights-7-pm-cbc">in the GDB</a> I wrote for <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-golden-knights-game-3-information-line-combinations-starting-goaltenders">Game 3</a> and they the boys got it, so to have them piss that start away was a swift kick to the shin that none of us needed or deserved.

<strong>2.</strong> Doesn't Connor McDavid tying the game with minutes left to play only to have the moment get ruined feel a lot like what happen in <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/04/21/instant-reaction-oilers-comeback-lose-game-1-kings/">Game 1 vs. Los Angeles</a>?

<strong>3.</strong> At least the special teams came through? Unlike what we saw in Games 1 and 2, the Oilers were able to kill off both shorthanded situations they faced while also scoring a power play goal on one of their two chances with the man advantage. Baby steps, my friends. Baby steps.

<strong>4.</strong> I know +/- isn't everyone's favourite stat these days, but I do think it was notable that Darnell Nurse finished the night with a -3 rating. Of the Oilers defencemen, only <a href="https://publish.oilersnation.com/2025/03/09/jake-walmans-puck-moving-impact-oilers/">Jake Walman</a> had a +1 rating while the rest of his teammates were even at best. We need that entire group to be better in Game 4, but especially guys like Nurse who routinely log more ~25 minutes per night.

<strong>5.</strong> I'm convinced more than ever that Leon Draisaitl is hurt. He doesn't look like himself, and since we know he's risen in the playoffs before even with a litany of ailments, you'd have to assume he's pretty banged up right now if he's being this quiet. I don't know anything about anything, but I won't be surprised when we fight out he's been fighting through something significant.

<strong>6.</strong> If there's one thing I know about Mother's Day, it's that moms love faceoff percentages. That's why I'm here to tell your mom that the Oilers won  57.7% of the draws. You're welcome, moms.
<h2><strong>PRESENTED BY ODD COMPANY</strong></h2>
<img class="size-full wp-image-161882 aligncenter" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2099/02/website-banner-727x404-1.png" alt="" width="727" height="404" />

We’re beyond excited to announce our latest partnership with Odd Company Brewing to bring you <a href="https://www.oddcompany.ca/new-blog/2024/10/8/nationbeer-everyday-lager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the all-new Nation Beer</a> Everyday Lager! Whether you're watching the big game, chilling with friends, or just kicking back after a long day, this crisp, refreshing lager is the perfect choice. It’s the brew you can count on anytime, anywhere. So, why not make it your next game-day tradition? Nation Beer Everyday Lager is available now at Odd Company Brewing and through Liquor Connect. Don’t miss out—grab yours today and take your beer game to the next level! Cheers, Nation Citizens!

Oilers lose with 0.4 second left, Stuart Skinner’s shaky return, and Corey Perry continues to shine

Real Life Podcast: Oilers need a big Game 4 win

GDB +10.0: Oilers Need a Good Response Against Golden Knights (CBC, 7:30 PM MT)

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner

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