Adrian Kempe scored two goals in the third period and two assists, Captain Anze Kopitar added a goal and three assists, and the Kings of Los Angeles have been routed the Edmonton Oilers 6-2 Wednesday evening to take an advance of 2-0 in the series of STANLEY CUP qualifiers for the first round.
“I just see errors in gift packaging opportunities,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch, after the match, when asked what was wrong.
“If they make a game and are able to score goals, you change your hat and say that there is not much that you can do, but I don’t think I have seen a lot of that. I think these are mainly blunders that cost us.”
Quinton Byfield and Andrei Kuzmenko scored for the second right match, and Brandt Clarke scored his first goal in the playoffs to start an overwhelming performance by Los Angeles, the second seeded.
The Kings showed an advance of four goals before winning match 1, and they left a three-way lead at 3-2 at the start of the third period of match 2 before taking control with three goals in less than five minutes while continuing the Stuart Skinner goalkeeper.
These rivals of the Pacific division meet in the first round for the fourth consecutive year, but the Kings had a home ice advantage for the first time. They largely dominated two games in the building where they had the best Home Record of the NHL, scoring 12 goals – including five by their revitalized power game, which was the worst among the qualifying teams of the regular season.
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Match 3 is Friday evening in Edmonton.
Leon Draisaitl and Viktor Arvidsson marked for the Oilers, but the endemic defensive struggles of the Champions of the Western Conference could not be covered by the radiance of Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, which was detained aimlessly.
“We just have to be better,” said Draisaitl after the match.
“We will regroup, let it go and try to bring our best match.”
Darcy Kuemper made 24 stops for kings.
Los Angeles rose 3-0 halfway to the second when Kuzmenko added to his extraordinary start with the Kings by hitting a rebound at home.
Edmonton finally went on the board when Draisaitl redirected a clever pass from John Klingberg.
Arvidsson scored against his former team with 15:55 to play to tighten him, but Kempe responded a few moments later on a pass from Kopitar, who added the third goal of the Power-Play shortly after.
Calvin Pickard replaced Skinner, but Kempe scored his second goal 90 seconds later.
& Copy 2025 the Canadian press