The L.A. Kings owned the special teams battle in a 6-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers Monday night.
The Kings went 4/7 on the power play and 6/6 on the penalty kill.
“Those penalties are within our control,” head coach Jay Woodcroft said after the game. “Our penalty kill moved the puck well. Give them a little bit of credit but our penalty kill can be a lot sharper. We ended up on the wrong side of the special teams battle. I thought that was the difference of the game.”
Kevin Fiala gave the Kings the lead with two power play goals one minute and 50 seconds apart midway through the first. The Oilers got one back just seconds after one of their power plays expired when Kailer Yamamoto deflected a puck past Pheonix Copley.
The Kings went ahead 3-1 on another power play goal early in the second with Adrian Kempe beating Stuart Skinner on a breakaway. Skinner was pulled after allowing three goals on 24 and replaced by Jack Campbell. Campbell appeared to make a spectacular save with 8:20 left in the second, reaching out to snare a Kempe one-timer. However, video review showed the puck crossed the goal line while in Campbell’s glove for yet another Kings power play goal.
“The scoresheet will say (Campbell) let two goals in, I thought he gave us a chance to win the game. He should feel real good where his personal game is at because he’s really taken a step here post-Christmas,” Woodcroft said.
Ryan McLeod gave the Oilers some life, chipping in his first goal since October 24.
Alex Iafallo beat Campbell glove side on a breakaway in the third. Connor McDavid replied with his 34th less than two minutes later. Viktor Arvidsson put it away with an empty netter.
“Usually, we put some in. But tonight, just couldn’t find it. It’s tough to win a game when you’re giving up four (power-play goals) other than us matching on the power-play,” Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said.
Jesse Puljujarvi delivered a big hit in the second and then fought Phillip Danault. Zach Hyman dropped the flippers with Sean Durzi in the third. Klim Kostin went toe-to-toe with Brendan Lemieux late in the third.
The Oilers, 21-18-3, will visit the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday (Face-off Show at 6 p.m., game at 8 p.m.).
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