McDavid Takes Over: Oilers Hold Off Vegas in Wild 4–3 Power-Play Shootout

In a game that felt like it was decided twice — once early, and again in the final frantic minutes — the Edmonton Oilers escaped with a 4–3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night, powered by a signature Connor McDavid takeover and a special-teams swing that never stopped tilting.

McDavid scored once and added two assists, including the setups for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ two power-play goals, as Edmonton built enough cushion to withstand a third-period surge that turned the finish into a nerve test.

Edmonton’s early control, Vegas’ late chaos

For long stretches, Edmonton looked comfortable. The Oilers did the damage early, repeatedly finding seams when Vegas went short-handed and turning one man-advantage opportunity into another. Nugent-Hopkins’ pair of power-play strikes — both created by McDavid’s vision and timing — gave Edmonton the kind of lead that usually closes a night.

But the Golden Knights refused to let it end quietly. Vegas’ third period became a special-teams avalanche, with three power-play goals from Tomas Hertl, Mitch Marner, and Pavel Dorofeyev ripping a calm game into a breathless finish. Each conversion tightened the margins, and suddenly Edmonton wasn’t cruising — it was surviving.

The difference, in the end, was that Edmonton had already banked too much offense. Zach Hyman added the insurance marker that ultimately separated the teams, and when Vegas made its last push, the Oilers had just enough structure to drain the clock and protect the one-goal edge.

McDavid’s streak keeps growing

McDavid’s box-score line was loud. The bigger story was the way it fit into the arc of his season: the performance extended his point streak to 10 games, with 26 points across that stretch — a run that has redefined Edmonton’s month and reintroduced that familiar feeling around the Oilers: if McDavid is rolling, the game is never truly out of reach.

It also underscored just how sharply his scoring has turned. After a slower start, McDavid has surged to 20 goals in his last 23 outings, the kind of heater that changes the texture of every matchup and forces opponents to defend in fear — even on nights when they know it’s coming.

Connor Ingram delivers a long-awaited win

Edmonton also got a meaningful lift in net. Goaltender Connor Ingram stopped 26 of 29 shots, earning his first win since February. It was his first NHL start since last March — and while the third period got messy, Ingram did enough early to help Edmonton build the lead that mattered most.

For a team that often lives on its star power, those kinds of nights from the crease can be the quiet difference between “almost” and two points in the standings.

What it means going forward

For Edmonton, this was a reminder that when the power play clicks and McDavid is dictating, the Oilers can beat anyone — even if the finish turns into a grind. For Vegas, the rally proved the Golden Knights’ man-advantage is capable of flipping games in minutes, but the early hole left them chasing the scoreboard.

Want more NHL coverage? Here’s a related Swikblog read: Jakob Chychrun’s two-goal night as Capitals blank Maple Leafs 4–0.

Where to find official stats

For official game logs, special-teams breakdowns, and updated standings, visit the league site: NHL.com or the matchup hubs for the Oilers and Golden Knights.