Kopitar, Lewis lead Kings past Oilers 5-2 to stop skid
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) - Eager to get back on track, the Los Angeles Kings did exactly that Tuesday night against one of their favorite opponents.
Anze Kopitar and Trevor Lewis each had a goal and two assists for the Kings in a 5-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.
Matt Greene, Jeff Carter and Kyle Clifford also scored for the defending Stanley Cup champions, who ended a three-game slide that came on the heels of an eight-game winning streak.
The Kings are 8-0-1 in their last nine games against Edmonton.
"It was one of the more complete games we have played lately," Kopitar said. "We were on a bit of a skid, so we definitely needed that one tonight.
"At this time of the year and in the position we are in, we need the two points every night. A lot is going to depend on us. We don't want to put our fate in any other team's hands."
Luke Gazdic and Teddy Purcell had the goals for the Oilers, who have lost four of five.
"It seems like it's a common theme - we have three or four good games and then we have a bad game and we're right back down to square one where we started and we're trying to get over that hump," Purcell said. "It's discouraging for sure."
Los Angeles got on the board 9 minutes into the opening period on its 10th shot of the game as Greene hammered a drive from the point past Oilers starter Ben Scrivens.
The Kings made it 2-0 in the final minute of the first when a bad pass by Benoit Pouliot turned into a 2-on-1 the other way, with Lewis converting on a pass from Kopitar.
Lewis said he has definitely benefited from playing alongside Kopitar and Marian Gaborik of late.
"Those are two awesome players," he said. "They are always open and there to support you. I just try to get them the puck and get to the net and good things are happening. Playing with those two almost makes the game a little easier."
Los Angeles added a short-handed goal early in the second, when Carter stretched out on the fly to tip a pass with one hand on his stick past Scrivens.
Edmonton got back into the game with 7 minutes left in the period as Gazdic tipped Jordan Oesterle's shot past Jonathan Quick.
Los Angeles made it 4-1 with 3 minutes left in the second when a bad rebound led to a scramble in front of Scrivens and a goal by Clifford.
The Kings went up by four 26 seconds into the third. Kopitar's shot deflected off defender Justin Schultz and in for his first goal in seven games.
The Oilers cut the margin to 5-2 on the power play 5 minutes into the third on a chip-shot goal from Purcell.
Quick made 21 saves for the win. Scrivens turned away 24 shots in defeat.
NOTES: The Kings return home to face Montreal on Thursday. ... The Oilers begin a five-game road trip in Chicago on Friday. ... Edmonton is pretty banged up at the moment with Tyler Pitlick (lacerated spleen), Taylor Hall (leg), Nikita Nikitin (shoulder), Viktor Fasth (knee), Anton Lander (shoulder) and Iiro Pakarinen (knee) out with injuries. ... The Kings were without Alec Martinez (concussion). ... Darryl Sutter coached his 1,102nd game, tying Billy Reay for 16th overall in NHL history.