The Kings trailed 3-1 to 3-3 in the second period, but regained the lead early in the third period. However, the Oilers would come back one more time, forcing overtime. Once he was there, it would only take 02:07 before the 36-year-old Kopitar was responsible for the decision. The Slovenian star also provided two assists as he played Kempe for both of his goals.
– Many say he’s old, but he can still play at both ends of the rink, Kings back Drew Doughty said about Kopitar to TNT. I had a little feeling that he was going to win the game for us. He did a great job and showed us the way.
Kings interim coach Jim Hiller spoke afterward about the team’s ability to stay on their game and how the veterans made sure they stayed focused while the Oilers were fueled by a fanatical home crowd behind them .
– We have many veterans. Many players who won a lot, says Hiller. You need that perspective and focus, because it’s emotional. It’s emotional for everyone, for the fans, for our coaches, but the players did a great job keeping their cool and continuing to work. I think our veterans make a big difference in that situation.
– We did a better job of handling the situation than we did in game 1, said Kopitar. We came out and had a strong start and scored a couple of goals, which always helps. We’ve talked about how things go up and down in a series and through individual games, so you just have to deal with it.
2024-04-25 07:31:28
#Kopitar #Overtime #Hero #Kings #Tied #Oilers #NHL.comen
