LOS ANGELES — Though the Kings carried a three-goal lead into the first intermission and held an edge late in regulation, nothing could prevent Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers from evening their playoff series against the Kings at two games apiece.
The Kings mounted a three-goal advantage, allowed it to evaporate, took a third-period lead, ceded a tying goal late and ultimately lost 5-4 in overtime on Sunday night to turn the seven-game series into a best-of-three with Game 5 as well as a potential Game 7 to be played north of the border.
The Kings remained in pursuit of their first playoff series victory since the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. Three of the four matches in the series thus far have required overtime.
“The series is tied 2-2, so we can be frustrated tonight but tomorrow’s a new day and we’ve got to get ready for Game 5, that’s how it is,” team captain Anze Kopitar said.
Kopitar, Gabe Vilardi, Viktor Arvidsson and Matt Roy scored goals for the Kings. Arvidsson added an assist, while Phillip Danault contributed two, equaling the total of winger Kevin Fiala, who saw his first action since April 1. Joonas Korpisalo made 35 saves.
While Edmonton’s stars delivered – Draisaitl had two goals as part of a three-point night that matched the production of McDavid and Evan Bouchard – it was Evander Kane slotting home the equalizer and Zach Hyman delivering the game-winner. Stuart Skinner surrendered three goals in 20 minutes before former King Jack Campbell earned the win in relief.
The overtime session was filled with held breath and loud gasps until 10:39 into the additional frame, when Hyman received Bouchard’s stretch pass off the boards at the Kings’ blue line before banking a shot off Korpisalo and in for the winning goal.
“It’s my first overtime playoff winner,” said Hyman, who is close friends with Game 3 overtime hero Trevor Moore from their time in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. “It’s probably the most important goal of my career to date.”
The Oilers had already surmounted a three-goal lead and, much as they rallied from two series deficits last season, they overcame a second disadvantage Sunday. With 3:02 to play, Kane provided an equalizer from the low slot. Kane scored seven goals in last year’s series, and his second of this one proved pivotal.
Unabated by a three-goal inferno that fizzled to ash during the middle of the game, the Kings had responded with a go-ahead goal in the final frame.
Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse stepped up to hit winger Trevor Moore, parting the seas for a Kings rush that was started by Roy and culminated in his activating for a goal between the wickets of Campbell. Roy had superb timing in delivering his first goal of the postseason.
“Matt Roy was heavy, he was hard, he jumped into the rush for a goal,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “He had a huge impact on the game.”
Edmonton came out determined to tilt the ice in the second period and they did just that, sandwiching an even-strength goal between two power-play markers to make it a new game, much as they’d later make this it a new series.
“They’re all big tests, but this one was really big, in that moment, it was massive for our group,” Draisaitl said. “We responded really, really well, it’s not an easy team to come back against … we just came in waves in the second period.”
A bit of controversy preceded the Kings’ third goal on Friday – Moore’s overtime game-winner – and another came before Edmonton’s third goal on Sunday. Fiala checked Draisaitl to the ice, sending the Kings on a counterattack that was blown dead because of a tripping penalty. The infraction was difficult to discern, but that didn’t prevent Draisaitl from scoring his NHL-leading fifth goal of the postseason with a power-play goal from the doorstep with just 11 seconds left in the period.
“It’s been a strange series, it seems like the team that gets the lead takes their foot off the gas a little bit and sits back,” said McLellan, whose team surmounted deficits in both its victories as well as its Game 2 loss.
Draisaitl had scored from in tight 10:08 earlier. McDavid caused defenseman Drew Doughty to fall behind the net, taking a rearguard out of the play and leaving Draisaitl unmarked to receive a pass in front for a rising wrist shot.
Edmonton had gotten on the board less than five minutes into the period with another power-play goal. Their first unit moved the puck with aplomb, setting up two one-timers for Bouchard, the second of which interrupted a shutout streak for Korpisalo that was just seconds shy of 60 minutes.
The Kings tried to reward their fans in the first period for a long wait, nine years, since the team’s last playoff series victory. They piled up three goals between the 9:25 and 18:11 marks of the frame.
After two even-strength goals, the Kings’ ostensible insurance marker came on the power play. Fiala beat Nurse off the wall and chipped a pass into the slot to a wide-open Kopitar, who waited out Skinner and deposited the puck off his backhand.
Fiala earned the primary assists on two goals and appeared none the worse for wear Sunday.
“He made a big difference in the game. He gave us an emotional lift, first of all, you could feel it in the locker room,” McLellan said. “He gave us a third line that was very dangerous offensively.”
The Kings had cushioned their edge when Arvidsson received a pass at the blue line before twirling into the zone, burning defenseman Vincent Desharnais and zooming ahead for a goal that beat Skinner through his five hole.
The Kings had gotten their first goal from a pair of players who began the series battling injuries. Fiala, who hadn’t played since April 1, dragged Desharnais to the net and banked a shot off Skinner’s pad, creating a rebound goal for Vilardi.
All the fireworks of the first period gave way to yet another arduous affair.
“We’ve prepared for a long series. We’re bunkered in for a long series,” Edmonton coach Jay Woodcroft said. “Tonight, we got a big win, it’s a best-of-three now.”
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
