Imagine walking into an arena and seeing your own face staring back at you—not in a mirror, but on a fan in the stands, decked out to mimic your every detail. That’s exactly what happened to Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar last year during Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center. Fast forward to this year’s Western Conference Final, and it seems like Edmonton Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch has his own uncanny twin stealing the spotlight, leaving fans and the hockey world buzzing with disbelief.

Last year, as Bednar watched his team battle it out against the Stars from his bench, right behind him, on the other side of the board, an audience member sat, disguised exactly like him. From the middle-parted grey hair right down to the jacket and tie, this imposter nailed the look, turning heads in the stands and beyond. The sight was equal parts hilarious and surreal, sparking chatter among fans who couldn’t believe the uncanny likeness. But as brilliant as the impersonation was, it couldn’t hold a candle to what went down during a tense Game 4 of the Western Conference Final this year.

Gino Hard, known for all things funny in hockey, posted a video showcasing Knoblauch alongside his eerily identical twin, captioning it, “We got a Kris Knoblauch doppelganger in attendance tonight 😅.” It was Matt Ziprick, a local pastor, who went viral after he told a story during a sermon about a woman mistaking him for Knoblauch at a grocery store. Ziprick dressed in a suit and tie and held up a sign that said, “I’m the real Kris Knoblauch.” during Game 4. TV cameras captured a side-by-side shot of the look-alikes, which to an untrained eye would be hard to tell apart.

While it was evident that the Jared Bednar impersonator had to put in a fair bit of effort into pulling off that look, Ziprick has an natural likeness to Knoblauch, so much so that one fan just had to raise the question: “which one is Kris Knoblauch.” The video spread like wildfire, with fans on social media marveling at how this lookalike seemed to step straight out of a sci-fi flick. The NHL community couldn’t get enough, sharing side-by-side comparisons and fueling a frenzy over the playoff doppelganger drama.

The doppelganger phenomenon wasn’t just a fleeting laugh. It became a talking point, uniting fans in Dallas and Edmonton in shared amusement. Social media lit up with memes, photos, and playful debates about who pulled off the better impersonation. In a season filled with clutch goals and heart-stopping saves, these lookalikes gave the NHL community a moment to pause, chuckle, and appreciate the lighter side of the game.

NHL Community shocked by Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch’s doppelganger appearance

The doppelganger’s uncanny resemblance had fans doing double-takes. One fan commented, “They should take a DNA test. Just to make sure.” “Wow, a DNA test is not out of question there …😁,” echoed another fan. The doppelganger was so spot-on, it felt like Knoblauch’s twin might have been secretly coaching the team to that stellar turnaround since Game 1 of the Conference Final.

“Double the knob gobbling !!!” wrote another commenter, choosing the occasion to display their word-play skills. While another Edmonton fan who really thinks that this could be the year Kris Knoblauch wins his maiden Stanley Cup gave the whole thing a sci-fi twist, “Nonono……No, time travel is real and he just is rewatching his 1st Stanley Cup run from a different viewpoint.” And speaking of time travel, one fan went as far back as 2013, when Mike Watson, a man with a striking resemblance to the then-Ottawa Senators coach Paul MacLean, sat right behind him in the audience as MacLean led his team to a 4-0 victory over the Florida Panthers. “Nothing beats the Paul MacLean doppleganger,” the fan declared.

The NHL community couldn’t stop laughing, sharing memes, and marveling at the doppelganger’s eerie likeness. In the midst of a thrilling playoff season, this lookalike brought a lighthearted twist, reminding fans that hockey’s magic lies in its community as much as its goals.