Well… who could have anticipated that dramatic conclusion?
Saturday night`s Game 3 between the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights seemed to be heading towards another overtime period, following the Oilers` 5-4 extra-time victory in Game 2.
Edmonton`s captain, Connor McDavid, had tied the game at 3-3 with only 3:02 remaining in the third period.
However, as the clock wound down to mere seconds, William Karlsson and Reilly Smith executed a last-ditch play that caught everyone, both on and off the ice, completely by surprise.
After receiving a pass from Karlsson behind the net, Smith collected the puck and skillfully lured Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner far out of his crease before directing the puck towards the vacated net.
In an unfortunate turn for Leon Draisaitl, the hero of Game 2`s overtime, Smith`s shot deflected off his outstretched stick and crossed the goal line with an astonishingly slim 0.4 seconds left in regulation time.
Following a swift video review, the referees confirmed the goal, securing a 4-3 win for Vegas. This marked their first victory in the series, narrowing Edmonton`s lead to 2-1.
The incredible finish generated immediate and widespread reactions from the hockey community.