EDMONTON, CANADA - OCTOBER 15: Connor McDavid #97 and Leon Draisaitl #29 of the Edmonton Oilers discuss the play during the game against the Calgary Flames on October 15, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
Viktor Arvidsson’s clutch tying goal with 1:21 remaining in regulation propelled the Los Angeles Kings to a crucial 5-4 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, securing their spot in third place in the Pacific Division and setting up a playoff rematch with the Edmonton Oilers.
This victory, coupled with the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights’ loss to Anaheim, propelled the Kings into their third consecutive postseason clash with the Oilers, whom they had fallen to in their previous two first-round encounters.
Los Angeles finished the regular season with 99 points, edging out the Knights by a single point.
The game against Chicago saw the Kings squander a two-goal lead in the third period, only to rally back and force overtime, knowing that a regulation loss would have meant facing the top-seeded Dallas Stars in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Captain Anže Kopitar acknowledged the awareness of the broader playoff implications during the game, but the team managed to refocus and secure the crucial victory.
