In Los Angeles, Mattias Janmark netted the decisive goal at 7:12 into the third period, propelling the Edmonton Oilers to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday evening. This win marked the Oilers` third consecutive triumph and provided them with a 3-2 advantage in their opening-round playoff matchup.
Evander Kane and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also found the back of the net, while Calvin Pickard delivered a solid performance with 20 saves for the reigning Western Conference champion Oilers. Edmonton now holds the opportunity to advance by winning Game 6, which is scheduled for Thursday night in Edmonton.
Edmonton`s consistent dominance in possession and shots throughout Game 5 finally bore fruit when Janmark successfully converted a rebound opportunity originating from Viktor Arvidsson`s shot.
Following some tense moments towards the end of the game, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added an empty-net goal to secure the win. This also sealed the Oilers` third straight playoff victory achieved after trailing, setting a new franchise record.
For the Kings, Andrei Kuzmenko scored their lone goal, and goaltender Darcy Kuemper was busy, stopping an impressive 43 shots. Despite Kuemper`s significant effort, the second-seeded Kings are now on the brink of their fourth consecutive first-round elimination at the hands of Edmonton. Their situation is particularly frustrating, given they secured victories in the first two games at home and subsequently lost games three and four after holding third-period leads.
