Oilers fall in overtime as Iafallo's power-play goal helps Kings steal Game 1
CBC
Alex Iafallo scored the overtime winner for the visiting Los Angeles Kings in a 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers to open their first-round playoff series Monday.
Iafallo scored a power-play goal at 9:19 of OT by converting a Victor Arvidsson feed from behind the net.
Adrian Kempe scored twice and Anze Kopitar had a goal and three assists for Los Angeles, which held Oilers captain and NHL scoring leader Connor McDavid off the scoresheet.
Leon Draisaitl countered with a pair of goals and Evan Bouchard also scored for the Oilers (50-23-9), who ranked second in the Pacific Division this season ahead of third-seeded Kings (47-25-10).
Oilers starter Stuart Skinner stopped 31 shots in his NHL playoff debut.
Edmonton defenceman Vincent Desharnais was penalized in overtime for tripping Blake Lizotte, although Lizotte appeared to step on a broken stick on the ice and fall.
The Oilers almost ended it at 1:54 of OT, but officials ruled Ryan McLeod's shot from the blue line deflected off Derek Ryan's high stick.
The Oilers will try even the series in Wednesday's Game 2 at Rogers Place.
Games 3 and 4 of the best-of-seven affair are Friday and Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.
Edmonton also dropped the opener of a first-round series against the Kings last year, but the Oilers took it four games to three to advance.
The Oilers led Monday's opener 2-0 after the first and second periods before a four-goal third.
Kempe halved the deficit 52 seconds into the third period when the clubs played four aside.
Draisaitl restored Edmonton's two-goal lead at 8:46 only for Kempe to pull his team within a goal again at 11:23.
With Bouchard serving a high-sticking penalty, and Korpisalo pulled for an extra attacker, Kopitar produced the equalizer with 17 seconds remaining in regulation.
