Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Kailer Yamamoto, Zach Hyman and Evander Kane scored third-period goals as the visiting Edmonton Oilers rallied for a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday to give new coach Jay Woodcroft his third victory in three tries.
Connor McDavid added a goal and Mike Smith made 30 saves for the Oilers, who pulled even with the Kings and the Anaheim Ducks for third place in the Pacific Division, all with 55 points. Edmonton has outscored its opponents 11-3 since Woodcroft was named the coach on Thursday after Dave Tippett was fired.
Yamamoto’s go-ahead score came with 4:46 remaining as he delivered his ninth of the season from the slot after a centering pass from behind the Kings’ goal by Leon Draisaitl.
Arthur Kaliyev and Phillip Danault scored goals for the Kings, who were playing for the first time in 13 days. The Kings returned to the ice after recording a point in every game of a six-game road trip (4-0-2).
Cal Petersen stopped 24 shots for the Kings, who were at home for the first time since Jan. 20. Los Angeles will hit the road again and won’t play its next home game until Feb. 26.
Kaliyev gave the Kings a 1-0 lead 16 minutes into the game. His ninth of the season came off a centering pass from the right corner by Brendan Lemieux, with Kaliyev’s redirection trickling past Smith.
The Kings held off the Oilers until 2:15 remained in the second period. After a Los Angeles turnover in the neutral zone, McDavid got off consecutive shots against Petersen, scoring on the second one with the Kings’ goalie sitting on the ice. It was McDavid’s 25th of the season.
Nugent-Hopkins registered his seventh of the season 7:44 into the third period for a 2-1 lead. He found a loose puck in front of the Kings’ goal and fired a low shot past Petersen.
Danault tied the game 2-all at 11:42 of the final period, his 13th, before Yamamoto delivered 3 1/2 minutes later for the Oilers. Hyman and Kane added empty-net goals for Edmonton in the final 1:25.
The Oilers are now 8-2-1 over their past 11 games.
–Field Level Media
