The Edmonton Oilers are on their way to the Western Conference Final for the second year in a row after beating the Vegas Golden Knights, 1-0, on Wednesday night. It was an unlikely hero who sent them through in overtime.
Forward Kasperi Kapanen scored the game’s only goal, knocking in a loose puck right on the doorstep during a mad scramble around the Vegas net.
When you think of the Oilers and offense, your mind probably immediately goes to superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But sometimes to win in the playoffs, you need an unlikely source to step up in big situations.
That is what happened here.
Kapanen joined the Oilers early in the season after starting it with the St. Louis Blues, and he scored just five goals in 57 regular -season games with the Oilers.
Entering play on Wednesday, he had only appeared in one of the Oilers’ playoff games.
Now here he is scoring one of their biggest goals of the season.
Goalie Stuart Skinner also emerged over the past couple of games as an unlikely hero, posting back-to-back shutouts. Skinner opened the playoffs as Edmonton’s starter, but he was quickly benched after a miserable start to its first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. But when Calvin Pickard exited the playoffs with an injury, it opened the door for Skinner to again prove himself.
While it has been rocky at times, he has definitely come through when the Oilers needed him. Edmonton will now await the winner of the Winnipeg Jets-Dallas Stars series.
