NHL: Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights - Source: Imagn — NHL: Connor McDavid - Source: Imagn

Oilers HC Kris Knoblauch delivers update on Connor McDavid after scary collision versus Golden Knights

Modified May 17, 2025 05:19 GMT

Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers have secured their spot in the third round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Edmonton dismantled the Vegas Golden Knights in Round 2, winning the series in five games and getting revenge for its second-round loss in 2023.

Game 5 was playoff hockey at its finest, a 1-0 overtime win for the Oilers coming from an unsung hero in Kasperi Kapanen. It demonstrated that they can win games in any fashion, a dangerous thought for their next opponent.

The only negative to the series-clinching win was a Connor McDavid injury scare. The Oilers captain made a tremendous back-check to break up a Golden Knights 2-on-1, though he lost his footing and slid hard into the end boards. He got up a bit gingerly and appeared somewhat shaken; however, he did not leave the game, and Kris Knoblauch said everything is fine.

“That was quite a play by Hyman and McDavid on that backcheck to break up that play. Yes, he (McDavid) crashed into the boards, but he’s fine," Knoblauch told reporters (6:38).

Connor McDavid registered six points (one goal, five assists) in Edmonton's five-game series against Vegas, and is up to 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 11 games this postseason.

Connor McDavid had his goaltender's back after Round 2

Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner has had a roller coaster ride in the playoffs. After being pulled to start their first-round series against the LA Kings, Skinner was forced back into action following a Calvin Pickard injury.

The 26-year-old rebounded in a big way, pitching shutouts in Games 4 and 5 to secure a series win. Captain Connor McDavid praised Skinner's resilience following the victory.

"Hopefully it shuts a lot of people up that were talking about him. First and foremost. But we've always had belief in him. Comes in and pitches two shutouts, can't say enough good things," McDavid said.

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It's already been announced that Calvin Pickard will miss the start of the third round, meaning it's Stuart Skinner's net to run with.

McDavid and the Oilers now await the winner of the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets second-round series to see who they'll be facing in the Western Conference Finals. The schedule for Round 3 has yet to be released.

About the author

Jackson Weber is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with a Bcomm degree in Business and Sport Management from the University of Guelph.

Jackson has grown up as a lifelong Pittsburgh Penguins fan. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are his all-time favorite players. Watching the Penguins win the Stanley Cup three times is an experience that Jackson will never forget. Years later, you realize how rare it is to see your favorite team win even once, so three championships were just incredible.

When not watching, playing, or writing about sports, Jackson loves to cook and is passionate about health and nutrition.

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