Los Angeles – Adrian Kempe had two goals from the third period and two assists, Captain Anze Kopitar added a goal and three assists, and Los Angeles Kings defeated the Edmonton Oilers 6-2 on Wednesday night to take advantage of a 2-0 advantage in their first playoffs series of the Cup Stanley Cup.
Quinton Byfield and Andrei Kuzmenko scored for the second consecutive game, and Brandt Clarke had his first playoff goal to start an overwhelming performance of Los Angeles.
The Kings blew an advantage of four goals Before winning game 1and let an advantage of three goals at 3-2 at the beginning of the third period of game 2 before taking advantage of control with three goals in less than five minutes while chasing goalkeeper Stuart Skinner.
“We have played very well,” said the Kings coach Jim Hiller. “Tonight, we had some shots alone with the goalkeeper, and we defeated it. We are only playing a good offensive and defensively solid hockey. Both parties are there.”
These rivals of the Pacific division meet in the first round for the fourth consecutive year, but the Kings had an advantage at home for the first time. They have largely dominated two games in the building where they had the best record at the NHL’s house, scoring 12 goals, including five for their revitalized power game, which was the worst among playoffs teams in the regular season.
“We got home ice, we fight for him and wanted to take advantage of,” said the defense of the Kings Mikey Anderson. “We are happy so far. We have both taken. You come to the track tomorrow and you concentrate on the next game. But so far, it has been a good start.”
Game 3 is Friday night in Edmonton.
Leon Draisaitl and Viktor Arvidsson scored for the oilers, but the endemic defensive struggles of the western conference champions could not be covered by Draisaitl’s brilliance and Connor McDavid, which had no score.
“They are very hungry for a lot of belief, and they are playing well at home,” said the oilers coach Kris Knoblauch. “We can play better. Special teams are the greatest part of this, (but) everywhere we can intensify our game … We have seen this team face difficult situations, much more difficult than it is at this time. We must not quit smoking in this group. It is certainly not an ideal situation, but we will certainly notar.”
Darcy Kuemper made 24 rescues for the kings.
Los Angeles went up 3-0 in the middle of the second when Kuzmenko joined His extraordinary beginning with the kings hitting home a rebound.
Edmonton finally got on the board when Draisaitl redirected an ingenious pass by John Klingberg.
Arvidsson scored against his former team with 15:55 to play to squeeze it, but Kempe replied moments later in a Kopitar pass, who added the third goal of power of the shortly after.
Calvin Pickard replaced Skinner, but Kempe scored again.
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