Los Angeles Kings take Pacific Division lead with 4-1 win over Edmonton Oilers -NHL Update
Los Angeles Kings just got a major boost in the Western Conference standings by taking over the Pacific Division lead over Dallas Stars following a 4-1 win over Edmonton Oilers, Friday night, March 30, 2012, at the sold-out Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada.
Dallas Stars had been leading the division with 89 points and Los Angeles just need two more to send them down to the seventh number spot, something which they did exactly and are now one of the top three of the West.
"We got the two points. That's what we want," Kings coach, Darryl Sutter, said. "All of the games are really important right now. It was a funny first period. They have all that skill over there with those kids and they were wheeling and dealing and we had
to make some adjustments to handle them."
The Los Angeles defence was also working overtime as they limited Edmonton Oilers to just 14 shots on Jonathan Quick, who blocked 13 and let only one pass through. Nikolai Khabibulin was outshot by a huge 32 shot differential and fell short on four.
"They were stronger and more determined than us," Oilers coach Tom Renney said. "The Kings are a desperate team. They were right there on the cusp of being in the playoffs and they are playing with every bit of urgency you can possibly imagine.”
Anze Kopitar potted his 25th of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season followed by the equaliser from Jordan Eberle on the power play.
Mike Richards took advantage of a loose puck with his team shorthanded and fired it past Khabibulin with a back hander. Drew Doughty slapped the puck through the Edmonton goalie with the extra skater on board while Alec Martinez capped it off nearly midway
through the third.
Los Angeles Kings have the next against Minnesota Wild on Saturday as they look to extend their lead over the Pacific Division.
Edmonton Oilers will be aiming to snap their two-game losing streak against Anaheim Ducks this upcoming Sunday before facing off against Los Angeles Kings again the next day on Monday.
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