Updated 08.07 | Published 08.03
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NEW YORK. No, the LA Kings will not lay down for the stars of the Edmonton Oilers.
They fought back in the return leg at Rogers Place last night to win 5-4 – after a sudden death goal by club icon Anze Kopitar.
– Big, says the hero after a holm walk during which Swedish Adrian Kempe also scored two goals.
After the opening game of the series, not many gave the LA Kings much of a chance against Edmonton.
Connor McDavid & co knocked them off during that onslaught 7-4 – and had plenty more to offer,
But in the Stanley Cup playoffs, things often turn quickly, and the second round of the night had a completely different feel. The Kings rallied to a really solid effort, had the lead several times again – including 2-0 in the first period after two goals by Ångermanland sniper Adrian Kempe – and finally won 5-4 in overtime.
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Hero:
Anze Kopitar – on the night he tied Rob Blake’s club record for most playoff games.
– It was really big for us, he says in a television interview immediately after the ruling.
– I don’t really know how it happened, I just stayed in the center zone and suddenly there was a puck that bounced straight on the tape on my stick, so I got loose in a free position. You have to take every chance you get in the playoffs.
However, the Slovenian veteran is most satisfied with the team effort.
– We really bounced back after the first match and had a completely different structure in our team play tonight, he says.
– Now it will be fun to go home to LA for two games.
Mattias Janmark had two assists for Edmonton and Viktor Arvidsson one for LA.
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The Dallas Stars won the Western Conference after a brilliant regular season, but now they are out of luck right away in the first round of the playoffs.
They also lost the other home game against Vegas last night – an exceptionally close and physical affair – 3-1.
It looked promising when Jason Robertson made it 1-0 at the end of the first period, but Jonathan Marchessault equalized at once and in the middle act, “new” Vegas fullback Noah Hanifin got a reward on one of many chances.
After that, the reigning champions managed to hold off the wildly attacking Texans with brilliant defensive play – until Jack Eichel made it 3-1 in an empty net with half a minute left.
– This shows once again that we know how to win, notes Marchessault.
In deed.
The next game in the series will be played on Sunday night, in the T-Mobile Arena on the Strip.
Then the Stars absolutely must win. If not, the sun sets in Texas early.
