The Edmonton Oilers faced off against the Los Angeles Kings in their first game of the 2021 NHL season. The game was a highly anticipated one, with both teams looking to start the season on a high note. However, things did not go as planned for the Oilers, as they lost to the Kings in overtime after failing to maintain their lead.
The Oilers started the game strong, with Connor McDavid scoring the first goal of the game just 3 minutes into the first period. The Kings responded quickly, with Anze Kopitar tying the game just 2 minutes later. The Oilers regained the lead in the second period, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scoring a power-play goal. The Kings once again responded quickly, with Dustin Brown scoring just 1 minute later to tie the game at 2-2.
The Oilers took the lead once again in the third period, with Leon Draisaitl scoring a power-play goal. However, the Kings refused to go down without a fight, and tied the game once again with just under 5 minutes left in regulation time. The game went into overtime, and it was the Kings who came out on top, with Drew Doughty scoring the game-winning goal.
The Oilers will be disappointed with the result, as they had several opportunities to put the game away but failed to do so. They had a total of 38 shots on goal compared to the Kings’ 24, but were unable to capitalize on their chances. The Kings, on the other hand, showed resilience and fought back every time they fell behind.
One of the key factors in the game was special teams. The Oilers had 7 power-play opportunities but were only able to convert on 2 of them. The Kings, on the other hand, scored 2 power-play goals out of their 3 opportunities. This proved to be the difference in the game, as both teams were evenly matched in 5-on-5 play.
Overall, it was a disappointing start to the season for the Oilers. However, they will have to put this game behind them and focus on their next game. They will need to work on their special teams and find a way to capitalize on their chances if they want to be successful this season. The Kings, on the other hand, will be happy with their performance and will look to build on this win as they move forward in the season.
