Sunday, February 23, 2020 10:00 PM (ET)

McDavid scores in his return as Oilers top Kings

Field Level Media
Feb 24, 2020

Connor McDavid delivered a goal and two assists in his return to the ice Sunday, helping the Edmonton Oilers to a 4-2 victory over the host Los Angeles Kings.

McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Josh Archibald scored for the Oilers, while Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown had goals for the Kings.

McDavid looked like he hadn't missed a step during his time on the injured list. The 23-year-old center, who missed six games with a quadriceps injury sustained Feb. 8 against the Nashville Predators, logged 19 minutes, 22 seconds of ice time and had six shots on goal along with his three points.

On the power play, McDavid and Draisaitl connected on a give-and-go with Draisaitl potting the goal to put the Oilers on the board 1-0 at the 19:29 mark of the first period. It was Draisaitl's 36th on the season.

Nugent-Hopkins put the Oilers up 2-0 at 5:27 if the second period with his 18th. Caleb Jones fired a knuckler from the point and Nugent-Hopkins knocked down the puck to redirect it past Kings goalie Calvin Petersen.

After fanning on a breakaway, McDavid got his goal at 16:14 of the second period on a 2-on-1 with Sam Gagner. McDavid opted to take the shot himself, showing patience to force Petersen into a move and then lifting the puck into the net for his 31st goal.

The Kings finally got on the board late in the second. With Draisaitl in the penalty box for high-sticking, Kopitar jumped on a loose puck in front of Oilers goalie Mike Smith and slammed it into the net on the power play for his 18th of the season.

Brown kicked off the third with a 2-on-1, skating into the Oilers end with Kopitar. Brown took the shot and brought the Kings to within one at the 49-second mark, his 13th.

The Kings couldn't get the tying goal past Smith, though, and the Oilers clinched the win at 19:10 with an empty-netter from Archibald, his 10th. McDavid, with the lead pass, got his second assist of the night.

The Oilers kicked off a three-game road trip and now will face the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday before seeing the Las Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.

The Kings play host to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday.

--Field Level Media

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