Henrique, Skinner Lead Oilers Past Knights to Take 3-1 Series Lead
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By Nemanja Petković
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Summary:
- The Edmonton Oilers dominated Game 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights, ending the night with a score of 3-1.
- Adam Henrique scored twice while Evander Kane added one goal and an assist.
- Edmonton is now one win away from advancing, with Game 5 in Vegas.
The Edmonton Oilers delivered a statement win on Monday night, shutting out the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 to grab a dominant 3-1 lead in their second-round NHL playoff series.
Henrique and Kane Scored, Skinner Won the Shutout
Adam Henrique was the star of the night, scoring twice, while goaltender Stuart Skinner won the shutout, turning away all 24 shots he faced.
Evander Kane also chipped in with a goal and an assist, giving the Oilers full control of the game from the get-go.
Skinner, who was back in the crease after Calvin Pickard went down with an injury in Game 2, looked solid and confident.
The bounce-back performance from the young netminder was just what he needed after coming into the night with a shaky 5.36 goals-against average. The win also marked his first of this postseason.
Knights’ Hill Stopped 29 Shots
On the other side, Adin Hill did his best to keep the Golden Knights in it, stopping 29 shots, but Vegas couldn’t generate enough offense to solve Skinner. They now find themselves on the brink of elimination.
It didn’t take long for the Oilers to set the tone. Just 1:27 into the first period, Connor Brown forced a turnover behind the Vegas net and fed Henrique, who ripped a one-timer into the back of the net.
Later in the period, Zach Hyman worked the puck loose behind the goal and found Henrique again.
The 35-year-old veteran born in Brantford made no mistake, sliding it in for his second of the game. His goal sparked a scuffle after Kane collided with Hill during the sequence.
Edmonton stretched its lead to 3-0 early in the second when Kane opted to shoot on a two-on-one.
The puck deflected off a defender’s skate and went into the net, marking his fourth goal of the playoffs.
Connor McDavid collected an assist on the play, extending his personal playoff point streak to eight games.
The third period saw no further scoring, but the damage had already been done.
Oilers Won All 8 Game 4 Matchups
The Oilers have now won all eight of their Game 4 matchups since 2023.
This was Henrique’s first multi-goal playoff performance since his rookie year in 2012. Corey Perry tied Glenn Anderson with 225 career playoff games.
Jack Eichel’s six-game point streak ended. Edmonton made two lineup changes, swapping in Kasperi Kapanen and Troy Stecher.
Up next, Game 5 will shift back to Las Vegas on Wednesday which you can get the best odds for on the best Canadian hockey sportsbooks.
