Kings 2 Oilers 1
EDMONTON — Wayne Simmonds had a goal and an assist as the Los Angeles Kings effectively removed the Edmonton Oilers from the playoff picture with a 2-1 victory on Tuesday night.
Alexander Frolov also scored for the Kings who have won two of their last three to sit at 33-36-11 on the season.
Fernando Pisani responded for the Oilers (37-34-9), who remained three points back of eighth place Nashville in the Western Conference, with two games to play. A Blues victory in the St. Louis-Phoenix game Tuesday would officially end Edmonton’s season.
The Oilers have lost seven of their last nine games.
Edmonton was in a hole right from the opening minute as the Kings scored just 55 seconds in when Oilers starter Dwayne Roloson let in a soft goal through his legs on an unscreened point shot from Frolov.
Less than three minutes later the Kings went up 2-0 as Michal Handzus snuck up behind defenceman Denis Grebeshkov and stripped him of the puck in front of the Oilers net. Handzus had his shot stopped but Simmonds was there to put home the rebound.
The Kings more than doubled Edmonton in the first period shot column with 14 while the Oilers only had six on Los Angeles goalie Jonathan Quick.
Edmonton started to get things going in the second period, coming within inches of scoring on a point shot from Steve Staios that went off Quick’s glove and just missed rolling into the net.
The Oilers finally scored with 3:31 to play in the second frame as a Grebeshkov shot was tipped by Pisani and bounced off of Kings defender Denis Gauthier and in to make for a one-goal game heading into the third.
Edmonton reversed the shot totals with a 19-7 edge in the second.
The Oilers continued to pressure in the third and came close to tying it up with seven minutes to play as Andrew Cogliano sent a shot through the crease during a mad scramble up front.