RECAP: Oilers Hang On, Topple Kings 4-3

A REALLY WEIRD GAME

Edmonton took two points out of Los Angeles in last night’s 4-3 win. Ryan Strome had a couple of points, Jujhar Khaira had a goal, and the Oilers were able to pull two points away from Los Angeles’ playoff run.

But let’s get to the meat and potatoes of the game last night - the Oilers won a challenge. It was a game deciding challenge late in the game. The Oilers had a goalie interference call go their way. First time in 19 challenges one went Edmonton’s way. They were due.

How’d we get there? The Oilers got on the board with less than a minute gone in the first period.

Anton Slepyshev scores his fourth goal of the season on a nifty little feed from Ryan Strome. Note the nifty play Klefbom has playing the puck off the boards. If Slepyshev is on the roster next year, the Oilers will need him to emerge as an inexpensive, consistent scoring threat. In other words, about twenty-two more of these should do.

The Oilers and Kings would trade goals in the second period as Leon Draisaitl scored for Edmonton in the sixth minute, while Tyler Toffoli would put one behind Cam Talbot to make it 2-1.

IT’S JUJHAR TIME!

Holy cow, what a goal. This goal would make it 3-1 for the Oilers late in the second period. That’s Khaira’s tenth of the year in 48 games. Can Khaira be one of the inexpensive forwards to score a bunch of goals next year? He’ll almost have to be.

Alright, the Oilers are up 3-1 with 40 minutes gone, Tobias Rieder would score to make it 3-2 midway through the third period. Then it got weird. Ryan Strome would score an empty-netter to make it 4-2 Oilers with a minute left. Dustin Brown would score with eighteen seconds remaining in regulation to pull the Kings to within 1.

Then it got weirder.

Dustin Brown appeared to tie the game up at 4-all just seconds later. A scramble in front of Talbot emerged with ten seconds left. Brown would push the puck on Talbot’s right pad into the net. A review was launched to determine whether or not the puck had crossed the line. It did.

The War Room then challenged for goaltender interference.

The Kings’ goal was pulled off the board. The Oilers would hang on for a 4-3 victory. You can relax now. This win was Edmonton’s first in LA in seven years.

The Oilers are on a two game win streak. They’ll try to make it three in a row with a win tonight in Anaheim before heading off to San Jose for a game on Tuesday.

Join us for our trade deadline coverage tomorrow bright and early, where we’ll cover all of the day’s movements. Let’s all hold hands and hope that Oscar Klefbom is still an Oiler after tomorrow.