It took every last second and a late video review, but the Edmonton Oilers finally won a game in Los Angeles.
LISTEN: Todd McLellan on 630 CHED
The Oilers held off a late push from the Kings for a 4-3 win Saturday night. It’s their first win at the Staples Center since November 3, 2011.
“Whenever we score the first goal we seem to get that confidence; a little weight off our shoulders, we can play hockey,” Ryan Strome said after the game.
The Oilers opened the scoring 51 seconds into the game. With a delayed penalty coming to the Kings, Anton Slepyshev one-timed a pass from Ryan Strome past Jonathan Quick. The Oilers killed off three penalties in the period, including a two-man disadvantage of 1:07. There was a nervous moment late in the frame when Connor McDavid collided with Milan Lucic. McDavid appeared shaken up but did return to the game a few minutes later.
Leon Draisaitl blasted him his 19th of the season 6:16 into the second period, one-timing a pass from Mike Cammalleri. Tyler Toffoli put the Kings on the board later in the session, but Jujhar Khaira sniped one just under the crossbar 2:38 later to make it 3-1 Oilers. It was Khaira’s tenth of the season.
Tobias Rieder pulled the Kings within a goal in the third before Ryan Strome added an empty netter with just under a minute left. That set up a wild finish.
Dustin Brown scored with 18 seconds left to cut the Oilers lead to 4-3. The Kings won the ensuing centre ice face-off and stormed the Oilers zone. Brown jammed at a loose puck in the crease. The Oilers eventually cleared it and time expired. However, after video review, the puck was ruled to have flipped over the line against Cam Talbot’s pad. The Kings were awarded a goal. That set up a second video review, this time for goaltender interference. Brown was deemed to have pushed Talbot’s pad with his stick, and the goal was taken off the board.
Mike Cammalleri had three assists. Talbot made 30 saves for the win.
“I knew he pushed my pad over the goal line, but you never know, that one could go either way,” Talbot said. “When the puck’s loose and stuff like that; it’s not like I had it covered, so you never know if you’re going to get that call or not. So we’re fortunate enough to get that one and get a big win.”
LISTEN: Cam Talbot on 630 CHED
The Oilers, 26-31-4, will visit Anaheim on Sunday.