LOS ANGELES, CA - The Oilers locked down the Kings on Tuesday night to pick up a 3-1 victory at Crypto.com Arena.
Edmonton found power-play goals from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl, while Darnell Nurse dumped a long distance bank shot into the empty net to seal the victory for the Oilers.
Pheonix Copley turned away 30-of-32 shots he faced on the night in just his fifth regulation loss of the season, and Viktor Arvidsson scored the Kings' lone goal of the evening, ending the Oilers shutout streak at 171:58.
The contest was a much-tighter checking affair than last Thursday's game in Edmonton. The two squads combined for 80 shots at Rogers Place compared to just 54 at Crypto.com Arena in the Oilers win tonight. Edmonton wasn't credited with their first shot on goal until the 14:56 mark of the first period, with the sides combining for just five pucks on target in the opening 20 minutes.
Stuart Skinner was the benefactor of the tough defensive matchup, picking up his 26th victory of the season in the 20 save performance.
"It's the way it's going to be against LA," Connor McDavid said after the game. "That's the way you beat a team like that. Done it twice now. I think it was good for our group to show to ourselves, and to them, that we can beat them that way."
Tuesday's victory allowed the Oilers to leapfrog the Kings in the Pacific Division standings, with Edmonton sitting one point up on Los Angeles at 101 points. The two rivals seem to be on a collision course to meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second straight year, with home ice still to be decided.
The Oilers will follow up Tuesday night's victory with a stop in Anaheim on Wednesday to take on the Ducks.
GAME RECAP: Oilers 3, Kings 1
The Oilers defence smothered the Kings on Tuesday night by allowing a lone goal on just 21 shots in a 3-1 win at Crypto.com Arena
© Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
© Icon Sportswire/Getty Images