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 Sunday to make the seven-game series of 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.
Gabe Vilardi, Viktor Arvidsson, Anze Kopitar 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.
Draisaitl’s two goals and one assist led the way though McDavid matched his point total with three assists, as did Evan Bouchard with a tally and two helpers. Zach Hyman registered the OT winner. Evander Kane and Evan Bouchard also tallied for Edmonton. Stuart Skinner surrendered three goals in 20 minutes before being relieved by former King Jack Campbell.
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.
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 as well Sunday. With 3:02 to play, Kane gained the zone, moved the puck and got it back for an equalizer from the left faceoff circle.
Unabated by a three-goal inferno that fizzled to ash during the middle of the game, the Kings 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 jumping into the play for a goal between the wickets of Campbell. Roy had superb timing in delivering his first goal of the postseason.
Edmonton came out determined to tilt the ice in the second period and they did just that, closing to within a goal with a power-play tally and then another marker at even strength.
A bit of controversy preceded the Kings’ third goal Friday, Moore’s overtime game-winner, and another came before Edmonton’s third goal Sunday. Fiala checked Draisaitl to the ice, sending the Kings on a counterattack that was blown dead because of a tripping penalty. The offense 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 stanza.
Draisaitl had scored from in tight 10:08 earlier. McDavid caused defenseman Drew Doughty to fall behind the net, taking a defenseman 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. The Oilers' first unit moved the puck with aplomb, setting up two one-timers for Bouchard, the second of which interrupted a nearly 60-minute shutout streak for Korpisalo.
Though their lead would not hold, 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, pushing aside a pair of early near misses to open up a commanding advantage.
After two even-strength goals, the Kings’ 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.
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 to 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.
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