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Oilers Rally in Overtime to Even Series Against Kings

In a thrilling showdown, Leon Draisaitl netted the game-winning goal at 18:18 of overtime during a power play, contributing three assists to lead the Edmonton Oilers to a remarkable 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series.

“We’ve got to find a way to play with a lead, and play that type of game as well,” Draisaitl reflected on the crucial win.

“The past two nights, we’ve focused and are looking to continue that momentum.”

The dramatic finish came after Evan Bouchard scored his second goal of the night, tying the game with just 29 seconds left in regulation. A late penalty against Vladislav Gavrikov for tripping Connor McDavid opened the door for the Oilers in overtime. Draisaitl seized the opportunity, scoring off a rebound to secure his third goal of the playoffs.

Corey Perry also made significant contributions, scoring a goal and adding an assist, while McDavid tallied two assists. The Oilers have now bounced back with two consecutive home wins after initially facing two defeats in Los Angeles.

“We have strong faith within the team — we believe we’re never out of it,” McDavid stated after the game.

“Despite the challenges and doubts, we’ve been working hard to overcome obstacles and find ways to secure victories. Tonight, we managed to do that.”

Continued Struggles for the Kings

The Kings, who last won a playoff series in 2014, saw goals from Trevor Moore, Warren Foegele, and Kevin Fiala in the matchup. Despite a strong effort, they are still hoping to break a lengthy playoff drought.

In net, Calvin Pickard was instrumental for Edmonton, making 38 saves to earn the win, while Darcy Kuemper halted 43 shots for Los Angeles.

The Kings struck first midway through the opening period, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by the Oilers. Phillip Danault retrieved the puck from the corner, setting up Moore for a goal through Pickard’s legs. Los Angeles doubled their lead 1:31 into the second period on a turnover, with Foegele scoring his first playoff goal against his former team.

Edmonton cut the deficit on a power play four minutes into the second when Perry skillfully batted a rebound into the net for his second post-season goal.

Taking advantage of another turnover, Fiala extended the Kings’ lead again with a breakaway, slotting his shot past Pickard for his third goal of the playoffs. At the end of 40 minutes, shots were heavily in favor of the Kings, 28-15.

Seizing a moment of luck, Edmonton pulled within one in the third period when a deflected shot off Drew Doughty’s skate found its way into the net, credited to Bouchard as his third goal of the series. In a dramatic turn of events, Draisaitl set up Bouchard for the equalizer with under a minute left, marking Bouchard’s remarkable achievement as the fourth player in NHL history to score multiple goals in consecutive playoff games.

In overtime, Kuemper exhibited exceptional reflexes, making 17 saves before Draisaitl’s power-play winner concluded the matchup.

NOTES

This playoff series marks the fourth consecutive year that the Oilers and Kings have faced each other in the first round, with Edmonton advancing in previous years: winning in seven games in 2022, six in 2023, and five in 2024. It is the fifth instance in NHL history where two teams have met for four straight years in the first round, the first such occurrence since 1987. Since their last series victory in 2014, the Kings have faced significant challenges, missing the playoffs five times while failing to advance past the first round during their playoff appearances.

UP NEXT

Game 5 is set to take place on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Source
globalnews.ca