Kings pull away from Oilers in third period

[February 08, 2018]  Paul LaDue netted the winning goal on a third-period power play, and Darcy Kuemper made 25 saves as the Los Angeles Kings beat the visiting Edmonton Oilers 5-2 on Wednesday night.

LaDue had Tanner Pearson setting the screen when he found the mark for his second career goal to break a 2-2 deadlock with 5:27 remaining in regulation at Staples Center.

The Kings have won 12 consecutive home meetings with the Oilers. This one was closer than the score indicated, even though it appeared to be headed to a runaway early in the second period.

Los Angeles' Kyle Clifford opened the scoring 70 seconds into the clash on the game's first shot. Trevor Lewis won an offensive-zone faceoff back to Clifford at the top of the right circle, and Clifford wristed a shot past goalie Cam Talbot for his second goal of the season.

Adrian Kempe tallied just 58 seconds into the middle frame to make it a two-goal edge. After a second turnover by Edmonton's defenders, Drew Doughty fed Kempe, who ripped home a shot from the right dot for his 16th of the season. Doughty collected both his 400th NHL point and 300th career assist.

For the third time in four games, the Oilers erased a two-goal deficit, on goals from Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, although it was all for naught

Draisaitl's power-play goal at 3:28 of the second period snapped Kuemper's shutout string ended at 193 minutes, 58 seconds -- the second longest in Kings history -- and gave him two goals and five assists in a four-game point streak.

 

Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) and Edmonton Oilers right wing Jesse Puljujarvi (98)ref52 battle for the puck in the third period at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

McDavid, who scored at 10:20 of the middle period, has collected seven goals and 10 points in four games.

After LaDue's tiebreaker, Alex Iafallo and Anze Kopitar added empty-net goals in the final two minutes to make the score more onesided than the game actually was. The Kings have a 11-2-0 record against fellow Pacific Division teams.

Talbot stopped 23 shots for Edmonton.

--Field Level Media

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