McDavid extends point streak to 18 games, but Kings edge Oilers in shootout

EDMONTON -- Connor McDavid scored to push his point streak to a career-high 18 games, but the Los Angeles Kings won 4-3 in a shootout against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place on Saturday.

Corey Perry, Andre Lee and Alex Laferriere scored for the Kings (19-15-10), who were playing the second of back-to-back games and third in four nights.

“I think the back to backs test the character of your team, those are back to backs. We got in really late last night, you can kind of build in an excuse a little bit, but we don’t do that,” said Kings head coach Jim Hiller, whose team was coming off a 5-1 loss at the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. “We haven’t done that, and I’m just really proud of the effort. It was a hard-fought game last night despite the score.

“Get in late, first time against Edmonton, and we came out from the drop of the puck ready to play.”

Brandt Clarke had two assists, and Anton Forsberg made 21 saves. Adrian Kempe scored the lone goal of the shootout.

“It was a huge character win for us, a couple of huge guys out of our lineup,” Laferriere said. “A tough game last night, and then to come in here into a barn that’s pretty hard to win in, and play like that. It was a great game.

“We don’t win that game without ‘Forsy’ too. I thought he played unbelievable, stood on his head for us there and gave us a chance to win it in the end. It was a huge team win.”

Leon Draisaitl scored twice, and Evan Bouchard had two assists for the Oilers (22-16-7), who had won two straight, but have yet to win three games in a row in eight opportunities this season. Connor Ingram made 27 saves.

“I don’t know what it is really. We’ve got to find a way to put a streak together,” said McDavid, whose team has eight home games left in January. “I keep on saying this is an important stretch for us.

“We’ve got to put a string together.”

McDavid's third-period goal tied the game 3-3 and gave him 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) during the 18-game streak. With the Oilers on a 5-on-3 power play, McDavid snuck a wrist shot short side on Forsberg from the left circle at 9:20.

“I just want to play good hockey, that’s all, and help this team win games. We’ve been winning games, but we’ve got to find a way to win a couple more,” McDavid said. “I thought we had looks to win this game.”

Draisaitl put the Oilers on the board first, 1-0, at 9:12 of the first period. Forsberg passed the puck out from behind his net, only to have it bounce to Kasperi Kapanen, who centered it to Draisaitl for a one-timer in the slot.

Draisaitl was honored prior to the game in an on-ice ceremony for earning his 1,000th point on Dec. 16.

“It’s a fun night for him, an exciting night,” McDavid said. “A special night for him, celebrating his 1,000 points and having his family in town.”

Perry tied it 1-1 at 17:50, pouncing on the rebound and knocking it past Ingram’s left pad after the goalie was unable to hang onto the puck after appearing to catch a long wrist shot by Clarke.

“He’s going through a tough time, and this is a hockey player through and through,” Hiller said of Perry, who missed the two previous games for personal reasons. “He comes, he shows up here, he wants to play hockey, he wants to help his team, and in difficult circumstances.

“And then he goes out and scores a goal, and plays 15, 16 minutes, a lot of times against McDavid’s line. It’s pretty incredible.”

Draisaitl made it 2-1 at 1:07 of the second period, winning a face-off and then sliding over to the right dot for a one-timer off Bouchard's pass that beat Forsberg glove side.

Lee knotted it 2-2 at 3:42, in on a rush with Quinton Byfield, who attempted to pass him the puck in the slot, only to have it go off of the stick of Oilers forward Isaac Howard. Lee still managed to catch up with it and push the puck past Ingram.

“Mikey (Anderson) made a quick play up the wall to (Taylor) Ward, who slid it in to ‘Q’ there,” Lee said. “‘Q’ passed it over to me and I got a little piece of it, so it was good.

“It was a team effort, we never let off the gas. It feels like every game against these guys is going to be a tight game, especially in this barn. The fans are loud, but I think we did a great job.”

Laferriere gave the Kings their first lead of the game, 3-2, at 6:21 of the third period, redirecting a pass by Clarke through the legs of Ingram.

“I wanted to bear down and win the face-off, and then anything that happened after that was positive for me,” Laferriere said. “I won that face-off and just kind of tried to get my body to the net. Clarke made a great play to get it to the net there, and I got a tip on it and luckily it went in.”

NOTES: The Kings are 5-1-1 in the back half of back-to-back games, with Forsberg playing in all of them ... It was Perry’s first time back in Edmonton since joining the Kings in free agency on July 1, 2025 ... Prior to puck drop, the Kings placed Anze Kopitar, a forward, on injured reserve (upper body) ... Draisaitl pushed his point streak to three games (six points; three goals, three assists) ... With 1:24 left in overtime, McDavid's rush to the net was ruled no goal on the ice as he collided with Forsberg in the crease, the puck slipping over the goal line at the left post, and the call was confirmed on review.