Let me play out the scenario for you, dear reader. The Vegas Golden Knights are leading the Edmonton Oilers in the third period, 3-2. But the Oilers are looking for blood and are ramping up the attack.
Sure, they're on the outside with Draisaitl coming dangerously close. But Adin Hill is holding on tight... That is, until Connor McDavid's shot hits Brayden McNabb's skate for the game-tying goal. To add insult to injury, that was with three minutes left.
Oilers fans are losing their minds and are ready to jump out of their skin. Golden Knights fans are reaching for the bottle of Jack Daniels to drown their sorrows. It seems like the "Machine" is ready to sweep the Golden Knights. Certainly, that was the case, right?
In comes Reilly Smith and he's coming in hot. He fires a sneaky shot past Stuart Skinner with 0.4 seconds left. The Golden Knights win, 4-3.
Game. Set. Match.
Suddenly, that joy and bliss in Oilers fans has melted off their faces. Their best chance has been squandered away. Now they have themselves a series and aren't off the hook yet. On top of that, Vegas gets the shot of adrenaline it needed to get back in this series.
It almost felt like... They were kicked in the groin. Boy, I can tell you how painful that feels, especially after Game 2.
Reilly Smith and William Karlsson give Golden Knights fans a vintage performance
The Vegas Golden Knights would've been down 3-0 if it wasn't for a vintage performance from two "Original Misfits." Reilly Smith scored two goals while William Karlsson got a goal and an assist. But the most important goal came with less than a second left, courtesy of Smith.
But that goes back to a broader point. The Golden Knights have had issues with allowing late goals in a period. That happened in the Minnesota Wild series, specifically against an aggressive forechecking team.
Now? It seems the tides have turned. The Golden Knights were the team that played until the last second, capitalizing on a late Oilers lapse to steal Game 3. Not only does that provide you with a win, but you get a gigantic confidence boost in the process.
Now, the Oilers are wondering how they can beat you aside from simply outscoring you. On top of that, having the two "Misfits" back limits Edmonton on the power play. They have a power play percentage of 14.3% in the series, being limited by swarming "Misfits."
Compare that to the Golden Knights, who've scored on 33.3% of their power plays this series. If the series comes down to the wire, it'll go to the team with the better special teams unit. So far, Vegas has a distinct advantage that it can abuse.
Hold onto your hats because the Oilers and Golden Knights will be an all-out war
The Golden Knights remember when they were up 2-0 in last year's first round. Everything was going well for Vegas at T-Mobile Arena until Wyatt Johnston shifted the series in the Dallas Stars' favor in Game 3. The result? Dallas moves on in seven games.
It seems Bruce Cassidy and company have learned their lesson the hard way, stealing Game 3 in the process. On top of that, Nicolas Roy got the first goal for the Golden Knights, adding insult to injury.
Are there some things that must be fixed? Absolutely. This would've been a blowout if the Golden Knights got more shots on goal. 24 shots on goal seem like slim pickings compared to peppering Filip Gustavsson with 46 shots in Game 4. The last series had Gustavsson on his heels in the latter half, keeping him alert at all times.
There's also keeping the Oilers to the outside, preventing them from getting opportunities with Adin Hill alone. Employ that strategy for the next game and you'll have similar fortunes in Game 4. Speaking of Hill, he had a shaky start to the game before finally settling down. He must play the full 60 minutes, even against a loaded offensive team.
If you thought the Oilers were going to run away with this thing like a well-"oiled machine", well (this link's for fans of a certain movie critic)...
Buckle up, hockey fans. This series is going to be a bloodbath.