The Golden Knights desperately needed a Game 3 win on Saturday, and Reilly Smith came through in a massive way.
With Vegas and Edmonton knotted at four goals apiece in the closing seconds of regulation, it was Smith who became the hero, finding the puck and getting a last-second shot off to win the game for the Golden Knights.
It wasn’t a clear game-winner from the jump, though. Referees delayed the celebrations to see if Smith’s shot went in or if it just hit the pipe.
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Here’s a look at the wild ending to Game 3 of the Golden Knights vs. Oilers series on Saturday.
Reilly Smith game-winning goal vs. Oilers
Corey Perry had two first-period goals for Edmonton in Saturday’s game, which could have given the Oilers a 3-0 series advantage with a victory. But Vegas came crawling back, scoring three straight goals over a stretch that went into the second period.
By the final 20 minutes, a Connor McDavid score had tied the game at three, setting up the dramatic finish. The two teams were mere seconds from heading to an extra period until Smith came flying down the ice to win it himself.
Despite having a few Oilers defenders in front of him, Smith used the limited time he had to get a nice shot on goal. It initially appeared that he came up just short, with announcer Brendan Burke yelling “He hit the post!”
Instead, review confirmed that Smith’s shot had gone into the net, officially giving Vegas the lead with 0.4 seconds remaining.
WILD ENDING IN EDMONTON 😱
VEGAS WINS GAME 3 AT THE BUZZER 🤯 pic.twitter.com/tSmT5AYzCG
— ESPN (@espn) May 11, 2025
It was Smith’s second score of the game and third of the playoffs. Here’s an angle of the shot barely breaking the plane of the net:
SMITH SCORES THE BUZZER BEATER‼️ pic.twitter.com/7QIVaZXIy5
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 11, 2025
Smith’s miraculous shot now gives Vegas a chance to tie the series at two when the teams meet in Edmonton on Monday night for Game 4.
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