The Kings beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 in O/T to even the series 1-1.

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The Edmonton Oilers had a chance to take a 2-0 stranglehold in their opening series against the Kings.

However, the Oilers were forced to keep chasing this game and erase two of Los Angeles' leads. Edmonton managed to push the game into overtime, but Anze Kopitar sent the game-winner into overtime at 2:07.

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It's hard to argue that the Kings weren't the better of the two clubs on this night. Indeed, on a night when the Oilers got two goals from their fourth line and third pairing D-men, you have to say Los Angeles' best players were better than Edmonton's best players.

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This is the story of the tape…

Edmonton Oilers player stats

stuart skinner. 4. Hard list with little chance at 1-0. Kempe then made a spectacular stoppage to keep the match at 1-0. The 2-0 Los Angeles goal was an example of Kempe's masterful skill that few goalies can capture. He managed to survive a wobbly Kopitar attempt. But then he misplayed Doughty's breakaway attempt and the puck slipped between Skinner's legs, making it 3-1. Fiala makes a big save early in the second game^n.d.. Lewis and Fiala (again) close behind with two stops. 4-3 was a shot from a distance using a screen. “I didn't see anything,” Skinner admitted in his postgame comments. He beat the overtime winner with a high grab and a clear breakaway. 21 out of 26 stopped. Part 2^n.d. Best goaltender in the game.

conor mcdavid. 5. McDavid's Dangerous Wraparound Attempt on the 1st^cent Period PP. Sets up Hyman for a tight chance. He raised his hand after a scramble for the goal line late in the first game.^cent However, the verdict was “no goal” (I think that's correct). 2^n.d. Assisted on 3-3 Hyman goal. asked for 3^rd It was a period hook, but once again the PK team did their job. They say that to win in the playoffs, the best players have to be the best players. It absorbed several hard hits. That wasn't the case tonight.

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adam enrique. 5. Fed Ekholm scores 3^rd Period one timer. Physical, credited with 9 hits.

zach hyman. 6. Tight backhand and forehand attempts at 1^cent Period PP. McDavid took a shot that looked like he buried the rebound, but video review showed otherwise. He hit home on the power play with a powerful one-timer to make it 3-3.He flattened Danault with a powerful hit in his third at-bat.^rd.

nurse darnell. 6.3 Good attempt in the second half^rd.Smart interruption and two clears^n.d.. big 3^rd Period shot block. In other words, Nurse had a really great game even though he was over 60 years old. However, in O/T, he was flat-footed (even though he hit the wall), allowing Anze Kopitar to score consecutive points by himself, making it 5-4. winner. In Nurse's defense, there was no lack of luck in that turn of events, but in the end Kopitar was Darnell's man. High Danger 5-on-5 6-1, reflecting his otherwise strong performance.

Cody Ceci. 7. There was no assist, but a smart Hedman pass eventually led him to 3-2. He opened the net wide from a Janmark pass, but it deflected wide (actually between Cam Talbot and the post). O/T Winner fails to grab puck tipped along the wall. But the play wasn't primarily his fault. High Danger 5v5 5-1. Overall, he was pretty strong.

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Leon Draisaitl. 6. Voegele and (to a lesser extent) Leon were both on the wrong side of their blue line when Bouchard turned the puck over 1-0. After waiting, he fired the ball to Clack, who won 1-0. A faceoff win led to Vogele's chance. subtracted 2^n.d. He completed a period PP and earned his first assist on Hyman's 3-3 marker with a beautiful pass that weaved through two defenders. 2 1, 2, 3 chances in the second half^n.d. It was a period PP, but Talbot had all the answers for them, including a sharp glove save. He didn't have an assist, but played well on the 4-4 wall. He led the team with eight at-bats. 2 helpers. 54% in a draw.

ryan nugent hopkins. 5. He was slow to recognize the play developing in the neutral zone and was unable to catch up to Drew Doty in time to prevent a 3-1.He and Carrick created two shorthanded chances.^n.d.. Some players are very effective on penalties, but not so effective 5-on-5.

Warren Fogel. 5. He was backtracking well, but on the same play he beat the zone 1-0. He made some recovery with a pass to Draisaitl, leading the Clacks to 2-1. Draisaitl shoots immediately after a draw after a face-off victory.The wall play was good and I cleared it in the second half.^n.d.. Jump over the zone with 3^rd.

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Matthias Ekholm. 5. At 2-0, we couldn't get close to the opponent quickly. Exploded a one-timer in 3 attempts^rd From Enrique's feed. So-so-2.

Evan Bouchard. 5. Evan Bouchard attempted a too-soft clearance against the wall, but the Kings quickly reversed it for a 1-0 lead. Then he inadvertently threw a pass toward a Kings player, who hit it home to make it 3-1. A late point shot produced a rebound, and the jump mark could not be filled. 22:23 Leads all skaters in TOI. 4 shots.

ryan mcleod. 6. This was the Oilers' best line in his mediocre 20 minutes.Setting up Kane's 1^cent Term bank trial. He hit another nice feed into the high slot, but Perry couldn't get it to the net. Good clear with 2^n.d., followed by a steal and resulting breakaway, but his attempt to go the five hole failed. He led the club in 5-on-5 CF (13-8, 62%). The great 5-4 winner was perhaps too stationary to lasso a lucky deflection at the redline?

Evander Kane. 6. Oilers' best shift 1^cent, just caught the pad on a bank attempt, followed by another shot.A hard hit sent Doughty deep into the LA zone in the second inning.^n.d..Aggressive forechecking led to power plays late in the third game.^rd. 6 hits. 4 shots. If it's 5-on-4, it's on, but there's no fault. He looks strong after two games.

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Corey Perry. 5. This line was effective, but Perry especially got into penalty trouble. Whistle given for goalkeeper interference in 2 games^n.d. But his buddies killed it. He tried to hook again, but the PK team stopped this too. If it's 5-on-4, it's on, but there's no fault.

Brett Crack. 6. Subtracted 1^cent Period PP. Draisaitl's drop pass put him past Talbot for a point, making it 2-1. He was in a pinch, but made it 3-1. He has no fault in that sequence of events.

Vincent Desharnais. 5. Descharnais couldn't corral the outlet pass when he was 3-1.Great job completed in 2 with his subordinates and engineers^n.d. Period PK.A sharp ball hit Byfield in the third inning.^rd. 5 hits.

Sam Carrick. 6. He and Nugent-Hopkins had decent shorthanded chances in the second game.^n.d.. At 3-2, he slipped a great pass inside to Holloway, who made no mistakes. It was a great pass to Ceci up front, but the D-man punched it wide. Do this every day from his 4th row, twice on Sunday for him.

Matthias Jeanmarc. 7. Couldn't jump on Bouchard's point shot quickly in the second half of the first round.^cent. Good stick at 2^n.d. Period PK. They got the zone and took a 3-2 lead over Carrick. Main assist in 4-4. +2 at 10:58. was very good.

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Dylan Holloway. 8. He spent the night! A good forecheck dug up a loose puck deep in the LA end, leading to a chance for Jean-Marc up front.Laser shot to Talbot's short side for 3-2, his first goal.^cent Career goals in the NHL postseason. Then there was a high chance off a McDavid feed…followed by a hard hit to Dubois.registered his 2^n.d. Lister, clutching Talbot's glove in a 4-on-4, chronicled the night's events. Even if he wasn't the best Oiler that night, he was the most talented.

western conference 1^cent The Oilers-Kings round series is currently tied at one point.Game 3 will be played in Los Angeles on Friday.

Find me on Threads @kleavins, LeavinsOnHockey on Instagram, KurtLeavins@mstdn.social on Mastodon, and X @KurtLeavins.

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