The Edmonton Oilers will put their season-opening five-game points streak on the line Tuesday night in Los Angeles when they visit the Kings.
Edmonton, which wraps up a three-game California road trip on Tuesday, remains the NHL’s only team without a regulation loss after a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night.
“I just liked that we stayed patient,” said Oilers coach Mike Babcock. “We stuck with the plan.”
Mattias Ekholm, Vasily Podkolzin and Alex Formenton scored against the Sharks while goaltender Tristan Jarry made 19 saves to extend the Oilers’ winning streak to four games.
“I think we played a simple game,” Jarry said. “I think when things weren’t going our way, or (San Jose was) clogging the middle, we weren’t getting frustrated with it, and it shows a lot of character.”
Captain Connor McDavid had an assist in the win in San Jose, extending his points streak to five games (three goals, 10 assists). Meanwhile, Podkolzin also has points in five straight to open the season (five goals, two assists).
“It’s a super privilege and unique situation for every player,” Podkolzin said of playing alongside McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. “They make me better every day, and I am so grateful for that.”
Goaltender Devon Levi, Tuesday’s expected starter, is 3-0-0 with a 3.35 goals-against average and an .863 save percentage in three starts this season.
Tuesday is the first of four meetings between the Kings and Oilers this season. Los Angeles won two of three meetings with the Pacific Division rivals last season, but the Oilers outscored the Kings 11-6 over the three games.
The Kings host the Oilers as part of a brief two-game home stand in search of their first win of the season after falling 2-1 in overtime to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.
“I think we’ve been in every game, every game besides the Colorado game, I think has been very even, games that we feel like we definitely could have won,” said forward Adrian Kempe. “I think that still keeps the confidence up in the group.
“As long as we’re playing with the best teams in the league, that’s always a good thing.”
Artemi Panarin scored Los Angeles’ lone goal in the loss to Vegas while Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves.
Kuemper is 0-2-1 with an .868 save percentage and a 4.03 GAA in three starts this season.
Forward Jared Wright, who signed a two-year extension with the Kings on Saturday, made his season debut against the Golden Knights and registered three shots on goal in 10:24 of ice time.
The Kings have dropped four straight to start the season under new head coach Peter Laviolette.
“There’s things that we can get better at. It’s early in the season, so we’ll work at those, but there was also some positives from the game,” Laviolette said.
“I thought we did a lot of good things (against Vegas), but at the end of the day, it’s a business of winning and getting two points, and we left one behind.”
–Field Level Media
