Game 5 Instant Analysis: LA Kings 5, Edmonton Oilers 4 (OT)

The LA Kings earned a hard-fought Game 5 overtime win, 5-4, on Tuesday. Todd McLellan’s group now leads 3-2 with the series shifted back to Los Angeles. Coming into Tuesday’s game, the winner of Game 5 has gone on to win the series 79% of the time.

Troy Stecher opened the scoring for the visiting LA Kings at the 3:53 mark of the first period. After a couple of good looks from Trevor Moore and Carl Grundstrom in front of the Edmonton net, Alex Edler retrieved the loose puck. The veteran defenseman kicked it back out to Stecher, who scored his second goal in as many games.

After the Kings were unable to convert on a power-play early in the second period, Jonathan Quick was caught too far out of his net trying to stop Connor McDavid. The Oilers superstar forward patiently skated around the net, finding Zack Kassian in front of the net for a tap-in to even things at one goal apiece.

The Kings responded just under seven minutes later, with Edmonton committing a costly turnover in their own zone. Alex Iafallo settled the puck beyond the blue line before dishing it to a streaking Anze Kopitar into the attacking zone.

The LA Kings captain fed the puck over to Adrian Kempe, who appeared to fumble the pass but still managed to get a shot off. Perhaps the hesitation was just enough to throw off Smith’s timing as the puck went five-hole. The goal marked Kempe’s first career playoff goal.

Four minutes later, Brett Kulak‘s clearing attempt found Dustin Brown‘s stick in the Kings’ attacking zone. The 37-year-old walked the puck in before finding Andreas Athanasiou, who patiently flipped it past Smith to make it a 3-1 advantage for the visitors.

Into the third period, Blake Lizotte‘s high-sticking penalty sent the Oilers to the power-play. Connor McDavid made quick work, scoring just three seconds into the man advantage on a backhand flip.

Phillip Danault added his second power-play goal of the series with just under nine minutes left in regulation. Still short-handed, the Oilers quickly made it a one-goal game again on a tic-tac-toe play from McDavid to Kulak to Leon Draisaitl.

Less than three minutes later and on the power-play, Draisaitl evened the score from the right circle after McDavid’s cross-ice pass found the German forward.

Into the overtime period, Kempe tallied the game-winner at the 1:12 mark, carrying the puck in tight to the net, beating Smith.

TEAM STATS