Golden Knights lose crucial point in standings, fall in OT to Oilers

It was billed as one of the more crucial games of the season, and one that the Vegas Golden Knights needed to show some fight.

They showed up, courtesy of their captain breaking out of his long slump and securing at least one point.

Not gaining the second might come back to haunt the Knights after they lost 4-3 to the Edmonton Oilers in overtime Thursday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard scored the winner off a faceoff with 1:50 remaining in the extra frame, seconds after the Knights failed to convert on a 4-on-3 power play.

Captain Mark Stone scored twice for his first goals since Feb. 5, and Ivan Barbashev scored for the second time in three games to give the Knights a chance.

But the Knights (32-26-15) couldn’t make the last play needed and now trail the Oilers by two points with nine game remaining for second place in the Pacific Division.

Their hold on third place also took a hit following the Los Angeles Kings’ 4-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks, with the Knights now at a three-point cushion.

Los Angeles trails the Nashville Predators by one point for the second wild card in the Western Conference.

Goaltender Adin Hill finished with 25 saves.

The Oilers (36-28-9) have taken the first three meetings from the Knights this season and nine of the past 10, including last postseason when the Oilers won the second-round series in five games.

Edmonton captain Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists and reached 800 assists in his career.

The teams will meet one more time at Rogers Place on April 4, and it might be the appetizer before they meet in a playoff series for the third time in four years.

Stone, at least, broke out of his slump to give his team a chance.

He tied the score 1-1 at 4:09 off a rebound with his backhand, but McDavid’s goal came 3:18 later to give Edmonton the lead.

Stone tied the score again at 14:51 after forcing a turnover on McDavid, driving to the net and finishing with the backhand.

Oilers winger Zach Hyman answered 1:51 later off a turnover from defenseman Brayden McNabb.

Barbashev tied the score 6:21 into the third off a rebound from Pavel Dorofeyev’s shot.

The Knights’ power play had its best looks in recent games but still finished 0-for-3. Hyman was called for holding Stone 1:02 into overtime.

They had seven shots on the power play. All but one were more than 25 feet from the goal.

McDavid won the faceoff after the ensuing whistle, and Bouchard’s slot shot beat Hill stick side.