April 22, 2025, 01:45 am at
LOS ANGELES – Philip Danaw scored his second goal in 42 seconds, and the Los Angeles Kings blew a four-goal lead, 6-5 win over the Edmonton Oilers in the opener on Monday night of the club’s fourth straight first-round playoff series.
The Kings led 5-3 in the final minutes, with Zach Hyman and Conor McDavid tied it up with an extra attacker. Los Angeles responded with Danaw skating along the way, whipping up fluttering shots while loose Warren bubbles screening goalkeeper Stuart Skinner.
Andrei Kuzmenko had goals and two assists in his Stanley Cup playoff debut, while Edrian Kempe added another goal and two assists to the second seed Kings, who lost his final three series against Edmonton. Los Angeles became the fourth team in Stanley Cup playoff history to win in regulation despite blowing a four-goal lead.
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Quinton Byfield, Phillip Danault and Kevin Fiala also scored, with Darcy Kuemper making 20 saves in his first playoff start since he raised the Cup in Colorado in 2022.
Los Angeles had their first home ice advantage in tetrologies with Edmonton this spring, and the Kings surged to a 4-0 lead late in the second half of the arena, where the NHL had the best home record. That was when the Oilers woke up and it was a memorable night. Leon Drysightle, Matthias Jeanmark and Corey Perry scored, with Hyman scoring at 2:04 left, while McDavid scored an exceptional cohesive goal with the remainder of 1:28.
McDavid had goals and three assists for the Oilers, reaching Game 7 of last season’s Stanley Cup final. Skinner stopped 24 shots.
Game 2 is Wednesday night in Los Angeles.
Until Edmonton’s late rally, Kuzumenko was a star. Los Angeles went 12th in a power play against Edmonton last spring, but the 29-year-old Russian, who has been cheering up the king since arriving last month, scored with a man advantage of just 2:49 inches.
