LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 26: Evander Kane #91 of the Edmonton Oilers scuffles with Andreas Englund #5 of the Los Angeles Kings during the third period in Game Three of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on April 26, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NHLI via Getty Images)
Leon Draisaitl had two goals and an assist, Zach Hyman also scored twice and the Edmonton Oilers rode the momentum of three first-period goals to a 6-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round NHL playoffs series.
Connor McDavid (one goal, two assists) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (three assists) also had three-point nights. McDavid is the first player since Wayne Gretzky in 1987 to have at least eight assists in the first three games. Gretzky had nine in 1987 and eight in 1981.
Evander Kane added a goal and an assist while Stuart Skinner stopped 27 shots as the Oilers posted a Game 3 rout on the Kings’ home ice for the second time in three years.
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Drew Doughty had the Kings’ lone goal early in the second period and Cam Talbot made 35 saves.
Game 4 in the best-of-7 series is Sunday night.
Edmonton had three power-play goals and is 7 for 15 in the series.
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Hyman, who had a hat trick in Edmonton's 7-4 Game 1 victory on Monday, has a league-leading six postseason goals and seven points. He became the third player in the past 25 years to score in Edmonton's first three postseason games when he put in a rebound 6:42 into the first.
The left wing then extended it to 5-1 six minutes into third when the Oilers had a two-man advantage.
Draisaitl became the fastest player in NHL history to reach 20 career road playoff goals on a wrist shot from a tight angle just inside the left faceoff circle with 4:24 remaining in the first. Draisaitl reached the milestone in 26 games, three quicker than Kevin Stevens and Bernie Nicholls.
Draisaitl also had a power-play goal midway through the third.
McDavid found the back of the net for the first time this series when he stuffed it past Talbot on the power play to put the Oilers up 3-0 with 1:26 remaining in the first period.
Kings captain Anze Kopitar played in his 95th career playoff game, passing Luc Robitaille for most in franchise history.
Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled for 7:30PM on Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena.
