Kings Center Shows Out in Win Over Oilers

The Los Angeles Kings earned a huge win over the Edmonton Oilers thanks to the performance of their top center.

Dec 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings right wing Quinton Byfield (55) reacts after scoring a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the overtime period at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Kings took down the Edmonton Oilers in a Pacific Division showdown thanks to a fantastic performance from a key center. The Kings took home a 4-3 victory thanks to an overtime goal and three point performance from Quinton Byfield.

It was a back and forth affair between the Kings and Oilers. The Oilers kicked off the scoring, but Byfield kicked-off the goals for LA and five minutes later winger Warren Foegele put the Kings up 2-1. The Oilers would score two unanswered in the second period to retake the lead, and they'd hold onto it until Tanner Jeannot tied things up in the third period. Byfield ended things in overtime to give the Kings a huge division win.

This was by far Byfield's best game of the season for Los Angeles. His goal in the first period was an excellent play for multiple reasons. He showed excellent puck pursuit as the play went behind the Oilers net, which put him in position to take the puck in a dangerous area of the ice. He also flashed his stick handling skills in tight, as he was able to maintain possession while two Oilers defenders swarmed and then roofed a wrist shot past Stuart Skinner's glove hand to tie the game at 1-1.

Byfield hit on a weakness in Skinner's game with his first goal, and he would make Skinner pay again at the end of the game. He started off the game winning sequence by gaining the offensive zone and finding a passing option in Adrian Kempe to establish possession. After dishing the puck off, Byfield swung deep into the o-zone and back, taking the puck in stride from forward Phillip Danault as he moved towards the left side of the ice. At the left face-off dot Byfield unleashed a howitzer that again beat Skinner over the glove hand and gave the Kings a momentum-building win.

The Kings continue building their case for being one of the best teams in the Pacific Division and Western Conference. With more games like this from Byfield and company, the Kings could be staring down a division title at the end of the 2024-2025 regular season.

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