R1, G1 FINAL – Kings 4, Oilers 3 (OT) – Kempe, Iafallo, Kopitar, Gavrikov,

The LA Kings came from behind to strike first in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with a 4-3, overtime victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday evening at Rogers Place.

The Kings were led by a four-point night from forward Anze Kopitar, while linemate Adrian Kempe scored twice in the victory and forward Alex Iafallo scored the game-winning goal in overtime. Viktor Arvidsson had assists on the game-tying and game-winning goals, while Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves in the victory.

It was Edmonton, however, that surged out to a 2-0 lead in the opening period. First, just shy of seven minutes into the game, forward Leon Draisaitl opened the scoring for the series. A centering feed from forward Mattias Janmark deflected off of a Kings skate directly to Draisaitl in the slot, where he fired past Korpisalo first time. The Oilers made it 2-0 through defenseman Evan Bouchard, who capitalized on a 5-on-3 power play with a shot through a screen in front.

After a second period that saw neither team score, the Kings got on the board less than a minute into the third period through Kempe, who opened his playoff account skating at 4-on-4. With the Kings moving ahead in transition, Kempe took a pass from forward Matt Roy, drove the slot on his backhand and beat goaltender Stuart Skinner clean to move the visitors within a goal.

Draisaitl restored the two-goal advantage, however, with his second goal of the evening. After a netmouth scramble in front of Korpisalo’s net, Draisaitl found the loose puck just outside of the blue paint and got his shot to go through a scramble in front for a 3-1 advantage with 11:14 remaining in regulation.

The Kings once again answered through Kempe, who picked up his second of the evening with a quick release from the right-hand circle. Forward Quinton Byfield won a battle to work the puck in Kempe’s direction and the Swede gathered the loose puck and slotted past Skinner to pull the game to 3-2.

With a power play late in the third period, and Korpisalo on the bench for the extra attacker, the Kings equalized through Kopitar to force the game into overtime. Arvidsson found forward Phillip Danault through the slot with a seam pass and though Skinner denied Danault’s effort, the puck sat in the crease where Kopitar poked it home to tie the game at three.

With the first power play over overtime, the Kings scored their second of the night on the man advantage to put the game away and claim Game 1. Off a quick passing play, Arvidsson fed Iafallo in the low slot and the New York native made no mistake with a quick shot past Skinner to flip home-ice advantage for the series with the first victory.

Hear from Iafallo, Kempe, Kopitar, defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and Head Coach Todd McLellan following tonight’s win.

Alex Iafallo and Adrian Kempe

Juice and Iafallo sound off on the big OT win ?@LAKings | #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/8FuKIfe1pZ

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest)