Emotional saga: After a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings he announces his leaving but its due to
Leon Draisaitl netted two goals as the Edmonton Oilers clinched a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday, securing their first-round NHL playoff series win in five games. This marked the third consecutive year that Edmonton ousted Los Angeles in the opening round, following previous triumphs of six games in 2023 and seven games in 2022.
Contributing to Edmonton’s win were goals from Zach Hyman, scoring his seventh of the postseason, and Evander Kane. The Oilers suffered only one defeat throughout the series, a narrow 5-4 loss in overtime during Game 2 of the best-of-seven matchup. Evan Bouchard notably provided three assists, while Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each contributed two, further bolstering Edmonton’s offensive prowess at Rogers Place. McDavid’s performance propelled him to a playoff-leading total of 12 points, comprising one goal and 11 assists.
In the net, Stuart Skinner made 18 saves, building on his shutout performance in Edmonton’s 1-0 victory in Game 4 at Los Angeles. Los Angeles responded with goals from Adrian Kempe, Alex Laferriere, and Blake Lizotte, while David Rittich stopped 22 shots in his consecutive start for the Kings.
With this victory, the Oilers advance to the second round, where they await the winner between the Vancouver Canucks and the Nashville Predators. Vancouver currently leads the series 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for Friday in Nashville.
