The Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on Friday continued to cause the Los Angeles Kings’ nightmares, and the rest of the Oilers’ lineup is beginning to add to the Kings’ frustrations.
McDavid and Draisaitl had three-point nights, while Zach Hyman continued his hot streak at the start of the post-season with two goals as the Oilers rode the momentum of three first-period scores to a 6-1 victory to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round NHL playoff series.
“Anytime you get up on a ream that’s defensive and doesn’t give you much makes it easier on you,” said Hyman, who has a league-leading six post-season goals and seven points. “You don’t have to force it in, you can play your game and they have to change and open things up. We did a good job of that.”
Photo: Isaiah J. Downing-USA Today
Hyman, who had a hat-trick in Edmonton’s 7-4 Game 1 victory on Monday, became the third player in the past 25 years to score in Edmonton’s first three post-season games when he put in a rebound 6 minutes, 42 seconds into the first period.
The left wing then extended it to 5-1 six minutes into third when the Oilers had a two-man advantage.
Draisaitl also had two goals along with an assist.
Photo: AFP
He 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 minutes, 24 seconds remaining in the first to make it 2-0.
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.
“I think our guys were disciplined on entering into the offensive zone. We had a plan and executed it. It wasn’t just one or two guys, it was five guys who were committed and connected,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said.
McDavid got his first goal of the postseason late in the first period on the power play to give the Oilers a 3-0 advantage.
It was one of three power-play goals for Edmonton, who are seven for 15 in the series.
In Denver, Colorado, Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin scored on the power play during a five-goal, third-period outburst as the Avalanche rallied for a 6-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 3.
Alexandar Georgiev stopped 22 shots to give Colorado a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven first-round playoff series.
Vincent Trocheck had a goal and an assist as the New York Rangers beat hosts the Washington Capitals 3-1 to close in on a berth in the Eastern Conference semi-finals with a 3-0 series lead.
Casey DeSmith made 29 saves for his first career playoff win as the visiting Vancouver Canucks beat the Nashville Predators 2-1.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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