Oilers' Stuart Skinner gives explanation for his sprawling save attempt on Reilly Smith's stunning buzzer-beater in Game 3

Stuart Skinner spoke to the media after the Edmonton Oilers’ 4-3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 on Saturday. Reilly Smith scored the game-winner with less than a second left in the third period.

Smith faked a shot, got around Darnell Nurse and went wide on Skinner. He then fired the puck from a sharp angle. It went off Leon Draisaitl’s stick and into the net.

Explaining his reaction during the play, Skinner said that Karlsson was coming in fast, and he thought there wasn’t much time left.

"Especially when Karlson's coming in with so much speed," Skinner said (3:50). "I'm not really counting down the seconds. I'm more so just, I have an awareness that it's not a lot of time. That's kind of why I played it the way that I played."

Skinner explained why he tried a sprawling save.

"Yeah, Karlsson, he just threw it out there, which he knew he was going to do, and then I thought he was going to shoot it right away," Skinner said, (0:34).

"I thought he didn't have that much time, so I just sprawled, went out there. I stayed with him for another half second, and then catches us with point four seconds left."

The goal came with 0.4 seconds left, which Skinner called "devastating".

"Devastating, but again, things happen. Good bounces, tough bounces. Happens for everybody. Just move forward."

Stuart Skinner started Game 3 because Calvin Pickard was unavailable due to injury. He wasn't on the ice for Saturday's morning skate, with Olivier Rodrigue playing as a backup goalie for Skinner.

In the 2024-25 regular season, Stuart Skinner had 26 wins, a 2.81 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage. Skinner started first two games in the Los Angeles Kings series and allowed 11 goals on 58 shots.

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Stuart Skinner was strong in the third period before allowing the fourth goal

The Edmonton Oilers took a 2-0 lead early in Game 3, with Corey Perry scoring first from a McDavid pass before adding another on a power play by tipping Evan Bouchard’s shot. Vegas made it 2-1 with a rebound goal by Nicolas Roy, and within one minute, Reilly Smith tied it 2-2.

William Karlsson gave Vegas a 3-2 lead in the second period, but McDavid tied the game 3-3 in the third with a shot off Brayden McNabb’s skate. Stuart Skinner was strong throughout the third period, but with less than one second left, Smith scored again, helping Vegas win 4-3. The Oilers still lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 to be played on Monday.