GAME RECAP: Oilers 3, Golden Knights 2

LAS VEGAS, NV – Looks like the House doesn't always win.

The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 at T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday night to start their four-game road trip off with a win, beating the Pacific Division leaders to pick up their second straight victory and two valuable points in the playoff race.

Defenceman Jake Walman tied the game just 19 seconds into the second period with his first goal in an Oilers uniform, kickstarting a three-goal middle frame from the Blue & Orange where Leon Draisaitl notched his 52nd goal of the season and Vikor Arvidsson made it 3-1 by scoring in a second straight game.

"It felt great," Walman said. "I think getting I'm getting my chances, so it was nice to see that one go in and we have a great group of guys. That was a tough battle and they're a tough team, but we played well."

The Golden Knights recieved goals from forwards Nicolas Roy and Pavel Dorofeyev, but goaltender Calvin Pickard was able to make 20 stops to secure his 19th win of the season in his third straight start as Edmonton's No. 1 netminder without Stuart Skinner in the lineup.

"He's embracing it and I'm happy for him," Arvidsson said. "He's always happy coming to the rink and just unbelievable guy to have around the team and in the locker room. I'm happy for him that he gets to play and he's playing really well."

The Oilers will continue their road trip on Thursday night at the Shark Tank in San Jose.

FIRST PERIOD

The Oilers had to hold off the early threat from the Golden Knights after being outscored 1-0 and outshot 10-4 at the end of an opening frame where they weren't looking like much of an offensive threat until late in the period.

"I think we're capable of defending against the best, and this is for sure one of the best teams," Jake Walman said. "So up and down their lineup, I think they're really deep and I thought everybody did a good job, even the forwards back-checking and helping the D out. We played a team game tonight."

The NHL's First Star of for Month Jack Eichel rattled the crossbar on Vegas' opening power play early in the game, and the Golden Knights would break through on the next chance they got to take a 1-0 lead off Nicolas Roy's shot that resulted from Leon Draisaitl having a pass picked off in the neutral zone.

"I looked like maybe the game plan was to put them to sleep and then take over in the second period," Head Coach Kris Knoblauch said. "I just I think the execution wasn't there – missed passes, going offside and not being able to generate very much just because we were ending plays.

The Oilers only had one shot in the first 15 minutes of the game – a Draisaitl attempt on goal at 13:34 of the period – and they wouldn't test Adin Hill again for half a period until Kasperi Kapanen's heavy shot off a quick regoup kickstarted a strong finish from his team heading into the intermission.

SECOND PERIOD

The Oilers came out for the second period with a better effort and broke through in a big way when Jake Walman's first goal in a Blue & Orange uniform only 19 seconds into the frame kickstarted a three-goal frame from the Oilers to take a 3-1 lead back into the dressing room.

Walman walked down on the left side and unleashed a bomb from inside the circle that beat Hill clean over the left pad to tie the game, giving him seven goals this campaign and increasing his point totals over the last four games to a goal and three assists. Walman has six points (1G, 5A) and a +4 plus/minus in 12 games since joining the Oilers at this year's Trade Deadline.

"I think he's been playing really well, especially in the offensive zone. He's a guy that can help contribute offensively in the play," Knoblauch said. "Bouch makes a nice pass to Podkolzin and then he bumps it over there. It was a nice set-up and allows him walk in and he takes a great shot. It's tough for the goalie to save those slap shots with a guy coming down like that."

The Oilers began to take over in the period before the six-minute mark with the help of an extended five-on-three power play, where Leon Draisaitl took advantage of two penalties from the Golden Knights over the span of 17 seconds to give his team the lead on his 52nd goal of the campaign.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins made a terrific dish to Draisaitl in his regular power-play spot inside the right circle for a powerful one-timer that he buried past the sliding Adin Hill to give the Oilers a 2-1 lead at 16:03 of the period.

This was the German's 16th power-play goal of the season and leaves him just one goal shy of reaching 400 for his career.

With less than two minutes left in the period, Vegas Head Coach Bruce Cassidy might've decided to challenge Arvidsson's 12th goal of the season just to try and get his team a small victory, because it was all Edmonton when the Swedish forward jammed home the 3-1 goal for the Oilers.

Arvidsson ran out of space in front after being found wide open by Kasperi Kapanen, but the winger stayed in pursuit of his own rebound and managed to push the puck through under Adin Hill to get it over the goal line just 1:43 after Draisaitl had given them a 2-1 lead.

Hill protested the ruling of a goal, but after a failed Vegas coach's challenge for goaltender interference, the Oilers were able to keep their 3-1 advantage while returning back to the power play for the remainder of the period.

"I think we took care of the puck more in the offensive zone and we created more time," Arvidsson said. "I think that was the key to the game."

THIRD PERIOD

The Oilers would hold off the Golden Knights on Tuesday to pick up back-to-back victories over Pacific Division opponents that strengthen their push over the remaining eight games of the regular season for home-ice advantage in the playoffs.

Pavel Dorofeyev reduced the deficit to 3-2 with a wrist shot through traffic that beat Calvin Pickard through traffic less than three minutes into the third period, but the winger would be kicking himself more than once later in the period for not being able to bury two wide-open opportunities that could've tied the game and salvage a point for Vegas.

Dorofeyev whiffed on a wide-open net earlier in the period and had a one-on-one look in the final two minutes of regulation with the Vegas net empty that was parried away by Calvin Pickard, who made eight saves in the final frame with none bigger than his clutch blocker stop late in the game.

The Oilers defenders in front of them made a few more vital blocks and itnerceptions, including Jake Walman eating a puck late in the six-on-five that would've resulted in a shot on goal for the Golden Knights.

Edmonton was able to walk away with the two points for back-to-back victories and two points in their first of a four-game road trip.