The Los Angeles Kings evened their first round series against the Edmonton Oilers last night, earning an overtime win to send the series back home tied.
This time around, the Kings got off to a great start, with Anze Kopitar picking off an outlet pass only minutes into the game, and finding Adrian Kempe, who one-timed a shot past Stuart Skinner to open the scoring. Then nearing the end of what was a fairly low-event opening frame (where Los Angeles did successfully kill off an Oilers power play), Kempe managed to extend the lead, making a great play to bat a puck out of mid air and past Skinner.
Edmonton did get one back only minutes later, with Brett Kulak putting a laser slapshot past Cam Talbot, but only 29 seconds after that, Drew Doughty responded, sliding a puck through Skinner on a breakaway to make it a 3-1 game.
It was essentially the complete opposite of the opening frame that saw in Game 1. The Kings did a much better job slowing down the Oilers and not allowing them clean entries to attack with speed, and capitalized on their own chances to take a big lead.
Los Angeles then had an early chance on a power play to try to run away with it in the second period, but they couldn’t convert, and a little later on, Dylan Holloway ended up taking a pass in the slot to score and cut the lead to one. Then only minutes after the Holloway goal, Blake Lizotte ended up taking a hooking penalty, and the Oilers converted on the man advantage, with Zach Hyman burying a one-timer to tie the game. Just like that, the Kings’ lead had quickly vanished.
The teams traded power play opportunities in the back half of the frame from there, resulting in Cam Talbot having to make a massive sliding save with limited time remaining to get Los Angeles to intermission tied, but it was a bit of a deflating middle frame.
However, Los Angeles did take the lead back very early in the third, with Kevin Fiala just throwing a puck on net and beating Skinner through a screen, who didn’t see a thing. Under two minutes later though, the Oilers came right back down ice with numbers and Holloway managed to bury his second of the game, beating Talbot with a nice shot to tie the game once more.
It ended up being a pretty strong frame for Los Angeles overall, limiting the Oilers to just four shots and getting some chances to take back the lead including a late power play, but the game continued to overtime.
In the extra frame though, it only took two minutes for the Kings to end it, with Quinton Byfield expertly redirecting a stretch pass right to Anze Kopitar, who went in on a partial break and put a perfect shot for Skinner, winning it for the Kings and tying the series.
It’s a much better effort for the Kings, seeming like Los Angeles was ready to play right from puck drop, and managing to take an early lead.
Of course, the two quick goals to squander the lead in the second period was a reminder of just how devastating Edmonton’s offense can be if the Kings have any lapses at all (or get into penalty trouble). But Los Angeles managed to fight back and limited chances, leaving the Oilers with 20 shots at 5-on-5.
What a game for Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe as well. The top line outshot their opponents 9-4 at 5-on-5 when together, with the duo combining for three of the Kings’ goals (and Byfield managing two assists as well). Kempe continues to be a menace for the Oilers in particular, now with eight goals and 12 points in his last eight playoff games against Edmonton, dating back to last year’s postseason.
It’s also a great sign to see Los Angeles able to win a scoring battle against the Oilers. With the way the teams match up, it seemed more likely that if Los Angeles was going to win a game, it was going to a 2-1 kind of win. But that marks nine goals for the Kings over Games 1 and 2, which does inspire a bit of confidence.
Ultimately, Cam Talbot won the goaltending battle against Stuart Skinner as well. We knew going into the series that Talbot would need to be a factor for the Kings to win, and while the ex-Oilers’ stats don’t look the best, he was solid, while Skinner allowed some weak goals.
It’s a huge win, getting the series back to Los Angeles tied. That’s not necessarily new to the Kings, given they took one of the first two games in both 2022 and 2023 as well, but the alternative in a 2-0 hole would’ve seemed like a herculean undertaking against the Oilers.
The Kings are right back in the series, with Game 3 going tomorrow in Los Angeles.
OTHER ARTICLES FROM THE PLAYOFFS
- Previewing Round 1: Kings vs. Oilers
- Kings unable to contain Oilers’ offense, open playoffs with 7-4 loss
Los Angeles Kings Blogger • 
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