LAS VEGAS — Chandler Stephenson scored the go-ahead goal, Adin Hill stopped 30 shots and the Vegas Golden Knights ended the Edmonton Oilers' 16-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory Tuesday night.
Edmonton was looking to tie the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins for the NHL's longest winning streak.
Instead, with the game tied 1-1 after two periods, Stephenson took a pass from Jonathan Marchessault and fired from the center of the left circle to beat the blocking side of Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner to put the Golden Knights ahead. ahead by one goal less. two minutes into the third half.
From there, Hill was spectacular in keeping the Oilers at bay while also keeping the crowd energized until the final horn.
“I liked a lot of parts of our game,” said Edmonton captain Connor McDavid, who scored in the loss. “I thought it was a similar game to what we've played throughout the streak. We just didn't find a way to win. Their goalie played well and made some great saves.”
Hill, who came in leading the NHL in goals-against average (1.94) and save percentage (.936), made the save of the night when he blocked Leon Draisaitl with a backhand shot late in the third period.
Nic Roy and William Karlsson also scored for the Golden Knights.
“Unfortunately, we came up a little short,” Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch said. “I think a big turning point in the game was the late goal. [Vegas] scored in the first half. And then for us, they were just missed opportunities. “I think the possibilities were there.”
Skinner made 23 saves in the loss, and Draisaitl and Vincent Desharnais notched assists along the way.
“I felt like we couldn't take advantage of our opportunities,” Edmonton defenseman Mattias Ekholm said. “I felt like we created a lot in the second [period]He probably deserved a goal or two. “In those close games, those small details, those goals at the right time, matter a lot.”
The Oilers, who opened the season 3-9-1 before firing coach Jay Woodcroft on Nov. 12, were just 13-15-1 before their winning streak began. Edmonton had not lost a game since December 19 and improved its record to 29-16-1.
The Oilers have an NHL-best 26-7-0 record since Kris Knoblauch's first game as bench boss on Nov. 13.
“There were some glitches, it wasn't a perfect game,” Knoblauch said. “But overall, I thought the effort was good and we just couldn't take advantage of our opportunities.”
Edmonton was not deterred by committing the first game penalty. After Desharnais' check forced a turnover to spark a 2-on-0 run, McDavid took a pass from Draisaitl and beat Hill to give the Oilers a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal.
It was McDavid's 10th goal and 27th point during the Oilers' 17-game streak.
“We have to move forward,” McDavid said. “We've got to play good hockey down the stretch.”
Vegas tied the game when Roy grabbed a rebound from the box, passed the puck to his backhand and beat Skinner for his 10th goal of the season.
“Tonight felt like a playoff game,” Hill said. “There was a lot of noise, the fans were interested, so it was a good atmosphere.”
Karlsson's goal into an empty net with 34 seconds left iced the game for Las Vegas.
“It was a close game, it could have been anything,” Ekholm said. “I think we played pretty well, [but] “There's another level to our game.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
