Hyman, McDavid lead Oilers to 7-4 playoff win over Kings

Shane Jones, The Canadian Press, April 22, 2024.

Los Angeles Kings goaltender Cam Talbot (39) scores a goal against Edmonton Oilers Zach Hyman (18) as Mikey Anderson (44) and Adam Henrique (19) face Mikey Anderson (44) and Adam Henrique (19) in the first round of Game 1 of an NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey game in the second round fights. At Edmonton, Monday, April 22, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

EDMONTON — Zach Hyman had three goals and one assist and Connor McDavid had five assists as the Edmonton Oilers finished off the Los Angeles Kings 7-4 in Game 1 of the first round of the NHL playoffs on Monday. series.

Adam Henrique, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl and Warren Voegele also scored, and Evan Bouchard had four assists for the Oilers, who lost the first of their last seven playoff series and are winless in Game 1 at home. Since 1990.

Mikey Anderson, Adrian Kempe, Pierre-Luc Dubios and Trevor Moore scored for the Kings, who were eliminated in the first round by the Oilers in each of the previous two seasons.

A few minutes earlier, Hyman scored the goal in seven minutes of the first period. McDavid rounded a defender and then sent a pass to Hyman who beat Kings goaltender Cam Talbot. Hyman scored 54 goals in the regular season.

Edmonton made it 2-0 three minutes later as Henrique, a trade-deadline signing from Anaheim, curled in a superb wrist shot from a high angle for his first postseason goal in six years. Henrique holds the Stanley Cup playoff record for longest goal streak, with his last goal coming in Game 6 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals with the New Jersey Devils 4,333 days ago.

McDavid continued his magic five minutes into the second period when he once again came from behind the net and sent another beautiful pass to Hyman for the second half of the night. That goal came on the Kings’ best chance, when Viktor Arvidsson was stopped by Oilers’ Stuart Skinner.

Edmonton added another goal on the power play 8:24 into the second period as Draisaitl found Nugent-Hopkins in the backdoor to make it 4-0.

The Kings had nine minutes to play in the second period as Anderson sent a long shot through traffic past Skinner for his first career playoff goal.

Los Angeles looked to strike again a minute and a half later, but video review showed that Trevor Lewis’ shot went off the glove and into the net and was not counted.

The Kings got that goal back with 2:04 to play in the middle as Kempe sent a shot on net that deflected off defenseman Bouchard and into the Oilers net.

Edmonton’s vaunted power play struck again 1:08 into the third as Draisaitl scored from a tight angle with a laser shot.

The Oilers scored their third goal 6:17 into the third period as Hyman positioned himself on the side of the net, allowing McDavid to take it off his stick for a hat trick, the first of his playoff career.

The Kings improved the score line a bit as Dubios’ shot three minutes into the game bounced off the skate of defenseman Darnell Nurse and surprised Skinner. Then Oilers guard Cody Ceci’s stick snapped, giving the Kings a turnover deep in Edmonton’s zone, and Moore scored 71 seconds into the game.

The Kings pulled Talbot, but Voegele scored an empty-net goal to seal the deal.

NOTES

This is the third straight season the Oilers and Kings have met in the first round, the first time the two teams have met in more than 20 years. Edmonton won seven games in 2022 and six in 2023. ”¦ Both teams changed head coaches after tough times this offseason, with Chris Knoblauch taking over for the Oilers’ Jay Woodcroft on Nov. 12 and Jim Hiller taking over this offseason. Todd McLellan on February 2nd. ”¦ Evander Kane is back in the Oilers lineup after missing the final week of regular season play with a sports hernia. ”¦ Kings veteran Anze Kopitar played in his 93rd career playoff game, passing Dustin Brown, Dave Taylor and Jonathan Quick for second most in Kings history. He is just one game behind all-time playoff leader Luc Robitaille. ”¦ Los Angeles forward Trevor Lewis skated in his 100th career playoff game, while McDavid, Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins each skated in their 50th.

NEXT UP

The second game is Wednesday in Edmonton. Game 3 is Friday in Los Angeles.

This Canadian Press report was first published on April 22, 2024.

20
-19