Talk about a fortune reversal! Leon Draisaitl was the man who gave the Oilers the win in OT in Game 2. A flash of brilliance and a cross from Connor McDavid saw Draisaitl tap in the winner. Fast-forward to Game 3, and one of this season’s most prolific goal scorers became the man who gifted the Vegas Golden Knights the win with just 0.4 seconds to go in the third period. Unfortunately, this was a tap-in that no NHL player would ever wish to make.

“After review, at 0.4, the puck completely crossed the line. Goal,” announced the official, crediting the dreaded own goal to the Oilers superstar. And as angry as the fans were to see it happen, they didn’t just blame the Edmonton Oilers forward. A section of the fans also pointed fingers at Stuart Skinner, who ventured beyond the goal line when Reilly Smith smashed the puck toward the net.

“Called it the moment they announced Skinner as starter… doomed from the start,” commented one fan. The Oilers fans didn’t just blame Skinner for playing a part in the Leon Draisaitl own goal. The netizen implied that Skinner didn’t do enough to stop the goals that allowed Vegas to make the comeback and take the lead in the second period. So what about the players under the spot light?

Well, Draisaitl was absolutely devastated after tapping in his own goal. While he intended to cover the net because Stuart Skinner had moved outside the line, the shot came in too quickly for the hockey forward to flick it away. The Edmonton Oilers forward was also ready to take the blame for it. “Obviously, it stings. Right now, it’s an unfortunate way to lose, but that’s on us,” he said during the locker room interview.

Stuart Skinner shared Leon Draisaitl’s disappointment. “Devastating,” he told the media. Then again, Skinner wasn’t too hung up on the loss. “These things happen. Good bounces, tough bounces. Happens for everybody, so just move forward,” said the Oilers goaltender. Unfortunately, the fans were not ready to put the loss behind them.

Fans breathed fire on Leon Draisaitl and Stuart Skinner

The average Oilers fan’s perception of Stuart Skinner has gone down significantly through the course of this season. Oilers Nation has repeatedly questioned and criticized Skinner for his lackluster performances, especially toward the end of the regular season. In fact, after this loss, Skinner is now 0-3 in the playoffs as well. So it’s no wonder they were furious with the NHL goaltender.

“All they needed was average goaltending, and Skinner couldn’t even give them that,” complained one furious fan. And it’s not like the fans had no grounds to be so angry with Leon Draisaitl’s teammate. While the Edmonton Oilers goaltender did make 19 saves, his performance has not been up to the mark. The Oilers were on the brink of losing the series to the LA Kings when Skinner was in the starting lineup.

However, things changed when Calvin Pickard joined the starting roster instead. In fact, Pickard has won all six of the playoff games he’s played for the Oilers. So why didn’t he play tonight, you ask? Unfortunately, for the Oilers, Pickard didn’t play in Game 3 thanks to an undisclosed injury. Meanwhile, other fans questioned the goaltender’s decision-making against Smith.

“There was no reason for Skinner to be out that far outside the crease,” commented one fan. After all, Reilly Smith did wait just long enough for Stuart to commit before taking the shot at the empty goal. Stuart explained why he chose to charge toward Smith during the locker room interview. “I thought he didn’t have that much time, so I kind of just sprawled, went out there,” the netminder said.

“I stayed with him for another half second, and then catches us with 0.4 seconds left,” added the dejected goalie. And while most fans called out Stuart Skinner for making that move, others also criticized Leon Draisaitl for misjudging where the puck was going. “Drai is gonna regret putting his stick in the way. It was gonna go hit the boards,” explained one fan.

The slow-motion review certainly made it seem like that. While Smith shot it toward the goal, Skinner did manage to narrow down the angle for the Golden Knights winger. The puck may very well have gone across the net instead of inside had Draisaitl’s stick not been in the way. And that’s when another fan spotted something interesting with the German hockey star.

“Add insult to injury for Draisaitl, who has been awful these last 2 games. Obviously battling something, but what a boneheaded play,” commented the fan. And the netizen wasn’t wrong. Leon Draisaitl himself admitted to not playing well enough in the last two games. “You know, it’s a little, I think, inconsistent. The last two nights, you know, stretches where we’re playing really well and then stretches where we’re giving up a little too much, spending too much in our D-zone,” said the 29-year-old.

Yet, despite the disastrous night, one thing was common for Skinner and Draisaitl. While both players didn’t have the best night, they’re looking forward to plugging the holes in Game 4. Now the fans will have to wait and see if the disastrous loss will take away the momentum from the Oilers.