Connor McDavid had a objective and two assists and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Thursday night time in a matchup of groups jostling for dwelling ice in a potential first-round playoff conflict.
Leon Draisaitl had three assists, Evan Bouchard had a objective and an help, and Adam Henrique and Cody Ceci additionally scored for the Oilers. They’re 44-23-4, going 15-2-2 at dwelling since Jan. 1 to maneuver 5 factors up on the Kings for second place within the Pacific Division with a sport in hand.
“It is at all times arduous in opposition to these guys. They’re as strong as they arrive,” McDavid stated. “They’re structured and accountable. They’re good, it is at all times troublesome. It requires a affected person sport, a mature sport. I believed we confirmed that on all ranges.”
Stuart Skinner made 32 saves, permitting solely Arthur Kaliyev’s objective.
“It is good to get this win and have a bit extra leeway in home-ice benefit,” Skinner stated. “However on the similar time these guys play arduous each single night time and know what they need to do in opposition to us. It is at all times an excellent battle enjoying in opposition to them. If we face them it will likely be very thrilling.”
Los Angeles dropped to 38-23-11, falling some extent again of Vegas right into a wild-card place. The Kings had received 4 in a row.
“It was a tough sport, numerous battles, numerous hits from the beginning,” Kings ahead Kevin Fiala stated. “It felt like we weren’t that dangerous, we had beauty and it was a tough battle. There wasn’t something open for each groups, there have been numerous chips, numerous forechecks and never a lot Grade A probabilities general, so I believe it was like a playoff sport.”
The Oilers began the scoring 5:37 into the opening interval with the groups enjoying 4 apart when McDavid knocked down Mattias Ekholm’s level shot in entrance of the online and steered the puck previous goalie Cam Talbot.
McDavid prolonged his factors streak to 6 video games along with his twenty seventh of the objective and have become simply the seventh participant in NHL historical past with 120 factors in three consecutive seasons. He added his NHL-leading 94th and ninety fifth assists.
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Kings: At Calgary on Saturday night time.
Oilers: Host Anaheim on Saturday.
