LOS ANGELES — Two torrents of three unanswered goals powered the Kings past the Edmonton Oilers, 6-2, on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena, where the hosts took a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
The Kings have lost just twice all season, and never in regulation, when scoring three goals or more, and they’ve won 33 of 43 games on home ice, including both in the playoffs. The Kings have turned the special-teams angle 180 degrees from their three previous spring showdowns with Edmonton, now amassing five power-play goals and allowing none through two games.
Adrian Kempe catalyzed the triumph with two goals and two assists, matching the four-point total of his linemate Anže Kopitar. Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist to make both his first two playoff appearances multipoint efforts. Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke each scored, while Warren Foegele had two assists. Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves to help the Kings to their first 2-0 series lead since their last Stanley Cup title season in 2014.
Game 3 is Friday night in Edmonton.
Leon Draisaitl and Viktor Arvidsson scored for Edmonton. Stuart Skinner wobbled again, stopping 23 of 28 shots before being relieved by Calvin Pickard.
Kempe now has 14 goals and 26 points in 20 career playoff games, all of which have been against Edmonton, which bounced the Kings from each of the past three postseasons.
A late goal in the second period begat an early one in the third for Edmonton again on Wednesday, this one by former King Arvidsson. “The Little Viking” contributed a huge goal as he battled hard in front to expertly tip Brett Kulak’s shot skyward at the 4:05 mark.
From there, the Kings owned the reigning Western Conference champions, ensuring there would be no late-game heroics like the ones from Connor McDavid and chums on Monday. McDavid, who had three primary assists and the tying goal before the Kings prevailed, 6-5, in Game 1, was held scoreless Wednesday and watched as the Kings slathered on three more goals.
Arvidsson’s giveaway – he fanned on a pass deep in his own zone and had his pocket picked by Kopitar – led directly to Kempe’s goal 2:41 after Arvidsson scored, a vital insurance marker. Kopitar found Kempe zooming past the right faceoff dot for a far-side snipe, after which Kempe calmly skated to the corner, sans celebration.
They tacked on another goal, their third on the power play, with 10:53 left in the contest. Kevin Fiala’s seam pass got past Kuzmenko at the netfront but sailed on to Kopitar for a backdoor redirect that sealed Edmonton’s fate.
For good measure, Kempe scored again, this time off the rush, 2:02 later by way of a shot that entered and exited the net instantaneously. It was a cold welcome to the game for Pickard after he had just come on to relieve Skinner.
The Kings stretched their lead to three goals with tallies 4:14 and 10:37 into the second period before handing one back at 13:54 to take a 3-1 lead into the second intermission.
Draisaitl broke up Kuemper’s shutout, as he did in Game 1, after he found quiet ice during a puck battle that ultimately got the puck to John Klingberg. Klingberg, who was unavailable for Game 1, spotted Draisaitl cutting to the net and lofted a shot that he tipped past Kuemper. It was Draisaitl’s 19th goal in 20 postseason games against the Kings, cutting the visitors’ deficit to 3-1.
To make it 3-0, the Kings had struck for a second time with the extra man, with both goals going to the player who drew the penalty.
In this case, it was Kuzmenko, producing his second man-advantage marker in as many games. Kempe’s one-timer banked off the end boards and right to Kuzmenko, who popped in the putback. He had drawn a hooking call against Trent Frederic to earn the opportunity.
Before that, Byfield scored the second goal of the game for the second consecutive contest. While Draisaitl got into a shoving match with Vladislav Gavrikov at the right-wing boards high in the zone, Byfield darted in to outnumber Evan Bouchard at the net and feathered the puck past Skinner.
Through 20 minutes, the Kings were out-shot 11-6 but still led 1-0, again winning the previously elusive special-teams battle.
They killed two first-period penalties – the first of which was in large part due to a deft pad save by Kuemper on Zach Hyman’s point-blank bid and Gavrikov’s swift clearing of the rebound – and scored on their only power-play chance, 8:44 after puck-drop.
Clarke drew the penalty, a cross-check on Evander Kane, who played for the first time all season on Wednesday, and scored the goal with time winding down on Kane’s infraction. Clarke joined the rush and drove the net, where Foegele found him for a redirection thanks in part to a poorly executed sliding block attempt by Nurse, one of two he had in the period.
More to come on this story.
Related Articles
Kings and Oilers set for more thrills and resilience in Game 2 Alexander: Kings-Oilers opener almost became Miracle on Manchester – in reverse Kings blow 4-goal lead but beat Oilers on last-minute goal in Game 1 Kings look to make fourth time the charm against the Oilers Kings vs. Oilers: First-round scouting report, prediction Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Kings ride revitalized power play to Game 2 win, 2-0 series lead on Oilers )
Also on site :