Clutch goals from a couple of key Los Angeles Kings (19-15-10) younger forward players and a good performance in overtime and the shootout from goalie Anton Forsberg handed head coach Jim Hiller's squad an important 4-3 shootout win over the Edmonton Oilers (22-16-7) in the Pacific Division on Saturday night (Jan. 10).
Gritty goals from Alex Laferriere and Andre Lee get the Los Angeles Kings a second-half of the game push vs. the Edmonton Oilers in a big shootout win this weekend
A couple of goals from young forwards Alex Laferriere and Andre Lee gave the Kings the push and momentum needed on the ice and on the scoreboard yesterday to keep Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at bey for the win in the shootout.
Laferriere and Lee gave their thoughts to the media yesterday after the big win over the Oilers, by a score of 4-3 in the shootout on Saturday night at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
This was the first time in the regular season for Hiller and the Kings that Laferriere and Lee both scored goals in a game for the team in the West vs. Edmonton.
Here's a look at everything Laferriere and Lee said to the media postgame following the Kings' important 4-3 shootout win in the Pacific Division over the Oilers on the road on Jan. 10.
Alex Laferriere
On the win over Edmonton yesterday for the Kings
"That was a huge character win for us, couple huge guys out of our lineup, tough game last night, and then come in here into a barn that’s pretty hard to win in and play like that. It was a great game, and I mean, we don’t win that game without Forsberg, 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."
On how Anton Forsberg played for the Kings vs. Edmonton yesterday
"He’s a gamer, and comes up huge in big moments. For us to have him back there and know that we can rely on him to bail us out sometimes is huge and gives the guys in front of him a lot of confidence as well."
On the goal he scored vs. Edmonton in the third period
"We talked about a faceoff play right before, and I just wanted to bear down and win the faceoff, and then kind of anything that happened after that was positive for me. So, I won that faceoff, and just kind of tried to get my body to the net, and Clarke and [Adrian Kempe] made great play up there. Clarke just slung it towards the net, and I got a tip on it and luckily went in."
On how important it was and what it meant for the Kings to beat Edmonton yesterday
"I think anytime we play these guys, there’s a little bit of extra juice. They’ve ended our season in the past four years. So yeah, anytime we can come in this barn, especially and play those guys, we’re all pretty juiced up for that, and we want to take it to them. I think no matter what, when we play these guys, we’re a little extra juiced up."
On why the Kings have been so successful in the back end of back-to-back games this regular season
"I think the depth of our team. You see guys like Lee tonight, Ward, these guys come in, not playing many games at all for us this year, and they come in, and they produce, and they played unbelievable. We're out there against top guys and shutting them down, and when we have guys like that come in to our lineup, and we know that we can rely on them, especially when it’s a back-to-back, and we’re a little bit tired, and we need those guys to step up even bigger. They’ve done it pretty much all year. So it’s huge to have those guys."
Andre Lee
On the win over the Oilers yesterday in Edmonton
"It felt great. Team effort there. Never let off the gas. It feels like every game against these guys is going to be a tight game and especially in this barn, the fans are loud and stuff like that. I think we did a great job."
On the journey of getting called up and playing in Edmonton for the Kings this week for the team
"It feels great. It's a great group of guys. I was up a little bit last year, so felt comfortable coming here. They welcome me with open arms, and to get out there and compete with these kinds of guys is always fun."
On the goal he scored in the middle frame vs. Edmonton
"Mikey made a quick play up the wall to Wardo, who slid into Q there, and Q passed it over to me, and I got a little piece of it."
On playing in such a tight game in clutch time in the third period yesterday vs. Edmonton
"You don't think that much. You know who you're out there against, but you're just trying to do your job, keep going. Don't let off the gas and try to play in the offensive zone and be on the right side, of course."
On how he's been more successful scoring the puck in front of the net this regular season
"Finding those loose pucks. Working on protecting the pucks and getting more in front of the net. Uh, net. That's what I've been doing down in Ontario, and also what the coaches told me, going home for the summer to work on that finishing touch. It's nice to see it pay off and just keep it going."