Despite Bachman's heroics, Oilers fall in L.A
LOS ANGELES -- On a night when goalie Richard Bachman gave the Edmonton Oilers his best, it still wasn't good enough to be the streaking Los Angeles Kings.
Anze Kopitar scored the game-winning shootout goal as the Kings edged the Oilers 2-1 Sunday night at Staples Center, Los Angeles' fourth win in five games.
Bachman recorded a career-high 47 saves but lost the shootout battle with Los Angeles' Jonathan Quick as he yielded goals to centers Mike Richards and Kopitar. Los Angeles (8-4-0) scored its fourth shootout win of the season.
Jordan Eberle beat Quick in the shootout, but Quick stopped David Perron's attempt, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins fired wide.
Bachman, just up from AHL Oklahoma City and appearing in his first game in an Edmonton uniform, quickly found his rhythm.
"You do get in a groove, but at this level, with this league, these guys are good, you can't relax too much," he said.
Though the Kings escaped with the win, the performance by the visiting goaltender didn't go unnoticed.
"We had 48 shots on (Bachman), it wasn't like we weren't trying to score," Kopitar said. "Some nights a goalie gets hot and stays hot."
The Oilers (3-8-2) took a too-many-men-on-the-ice penalty with 1:58 left in overtime, but Los Angeles managed only one shot on goal before right wing Jeff Carter took an interference penalty that forced the game to a shootout.
The Kings held Edmonton without a shot in the extra session, and Quick needed to make just 17 saves in regulation before emerging with the win.
Although the Oilers suffered their third consecutive defeat, Edmonton defenseman Andrew Ference was upbeat about leaving Los Angeles with a point.
"Some of the guys stepped up big on the back-to-back nights," said Ference, whose team lost 5-4 to the Coyotes in Phoenix on Saturday. "I think the (Sunday) game was a good sign for us."
After a scoreless first period, Edmonton struck first. Right winger Nail Yakupov banged home a rebound off defenseman Anton Belov's shot on the power play at 4:12 of the second period. Yakpov's wrist shot from 20 feet cleanly beat Quick for his first goal of the season.
The Kings tied the game when center Richards beat Bachman from a sharp angle at 16:58 of the second period. Los Angeles defenseman Jake Muzzin fired a shot from the left point, and Richards gathered in the rebound and patiently shot it over Bachman's right shoulder.
After surrendering two power-play goals to Phoenix, the Oilers tightened their penalty kill to keep the game even after two periods. Edmonton's 29th-ranked penalty kill held the Kings off the board four times through 40 minutes.
The Kings started the third period strong, recording the final session's first nine shots, but Bachman kept them at bay even as his teammates showed their fatigue. Los Angeles outshot Edmonton 23-6 in the third but couldn't dent Bachman for the game-winner in regulation.
The Kings thought they took the lead with 6:08 remaining when Richards beat Bachman on a rebound, but referee Mike Leggo ruled Matt Frattin was guilty of interference.
"I liked Frattin's game tonight, but when I looked at the play on video, it was probably the right call made," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said.
NOTES: Bachman was recalled Sunday with Edmonton G Devan Dubnyk out due to an ankle injury. Bachman made his first NHL start since April 27, 2013, when he took a 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings as a member of the Dallas Stars. ... Yakupov, the first overall pick in the 2013 draft, scored his first goal of the season in his 11th game. ... The Oilers will be back in Alberta this week to face the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday and the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday at Rexall Place. ... Los Angeles will travel to Phoenix on Tuesday, then will return for a four-game homestand Wednesday through Nov. 9. ... RW Justin Williams played in his 141st consecutive game, the longest active streak by a Kings player. ... Richards scored in consecutive games after failing to net a goal in Los Angeles' first 10 games.
