Anze Kopitar scores in overtime, Kings beat Oilers 5-4 in Game 2 to tie series

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Anze Kopitar fired a wrist shot past Stuart Skinner’s glove and into the top corner on a breakaway to give the Los Angeles Kings a 5-4 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night in Game 2 of the first-round playoff series.

Playing in his 94th postseason game to tie Luc Robitaille's franchise record, Kopitar picked up the puck near the Edmonton blue line, moved in and shot from the slot as Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse dove to try to block the shot.

“Honestly, it was kind of a wacky play where Mikey (Anderson) throws it up the boards, and I think it was Q (Quentin Byfield) who tipped it, or was trying to tip it just to prevent the icing," Kopitar said. "Next thing you know, I had it right on my stick, so I figured I’d make the most of it.”

The Los Angeles captain also had two assists to help the Kings — eliminated by the Oilers in the first round the previous two seasons — rebound from a 7-4 loss Monday night in the opener. Game 3 is Friday night in Los Angeles.

“To see Kopi get that one at the end, great to see the goal go in, but I can tell you for me personally, and I’m sure the guys, just for a guy that’s done as much as he has, to get another overtime game-winning goal was special,” Kings coach Jim Hiller said. “One game for them, one game for us and now we go to L.A.”

Adrian Kempe scored twice in the first period for Los Angeles. Drew Doughty also connected in the first for the Kings, making it 3-1. Kevin Fiala scored in the third, and Cam Talbot made 27 saves.

Dylan Holloway scored twice for Edmonton, tying it at 4 early in the third period. Brett Kulak and Zach Hyman also scored for the Oilers, and Skinner stopped 21 shots.

“I thought we played a good game and had the puck most of the night,” Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm said. “They are going to have their looks and their bounces, but I still liked the way we played and hopefully we can build off of that.”

The teams traded goals early in the third. Fiala gave Los Angeles a 4-3 lead at 1:46, and Holloway tied it at 3:23.

“We all didn’t feel good about our first game, so we had a lot to prove this game and everyone stepped up their game and Kopi led the way,” said Byfield, who had two assists. “Leaders lead and that’s what we did, we just followed him and it was a lot better.”

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Los Angeles Kings' Drew Doughty (8) celebrates his goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Drew Doughty (8) celebrates his goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers scramble for the puck during the first period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Adrian Kempe (9) and Anze Kopitar (11) celebrate a goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Kevin Fiala (22) and Edmonton Oilers' Ryan McLeod (71) vie for the puck during the first period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Drew Doughty (8) laughs as Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) argues with an official about a no-goal call during the first period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) and Zach Hyman (18) celebrate a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Trevor Lewis (61) skates past as the Edmonton Oilers celebrate a goal during the first period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Evan Bouchard (2), Connor McDavid (97) and Zach Hyman (18) celebrate a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Dylan Holloway (55) celebrates a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Viktor Arvidsson (33) is stopped by Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) during the third period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Mikey Anderson (44), Quinton Byfield (55) and Anze Kopitar (11) celebrate Kopitar's overtime goal against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

A look at the coaches who have led teams with LeBron James on the roster. The Los Angeles Lakers fired coach Darvin Ham on Friday:

—Paul Silas (2003-05): He was James' first coach in the 2003-04 season and helped the first-year player win the NBA Rookie of the Year award. But Silas was let go 64 games into the 2005 season with the Cavaliers at 34-30.

—Brendan Malone (2005): He became interim coach after Silas was dismissed and went 8-10 with the team to miss out on the NBA playoffs.

—Mike Brown (2005-10): He led the Cavaliers to the playoffs in all five seasons with James on the roster, making it to the NBA Finals in their second season together in 2006-07. James was named NBA MVP in his final two seasons with Brown as coach. Brown was let go before James' pending free agency in the summer of 2010.

—Erik Spoelstra (2010-14): He led the Heat to the NBA Finals all four seasons coaching James, winning it all in 2012 and 2013. James won NBA MVP in both those seasons.

—David Blatt (2014-16): Blatt coached James in his return to Cleveland, losing in the NBA Finals to Golden State. Blatt was fired the next season with the team at 30-11. Then-GM David Griffin said at the time: “What I see is that we need to build a collective spirit, a strength of spirit, a collective will.”

—Tyronn Lue (2016-18): Lue was promoted to take over for Blatt, and he led the Cavaliers to the 2016 NBA title over the Warriors. Lue and James made two more trips to the Finals before James opted for free agency and ended his second term with Cleveland.

—Luke Walton (2018-19): James was slowed by injuries and the Lakers missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2004-05 season at 37-45. Walton and the Lakers mutually agreed to part ways after the season.

—Frank Vogel (2019-22): Vogel and James had the Lakers at 49-14 and on top in the Western Conference before COVID-19 shut down the league. When games restarted, Los Angeles won the NBA championship. The team could not duplicate its success in Vogel's final two years, advancing as a play-in team in 2021 and missing the playoffs in 2022. Vogel was fired after that season.

—Darvin Ham (2022-24): Ham and the Lakers started slowly in the first of two seasons together, before rallying as a seventh seed in the playoffs to reach the Western Conference finals. This past season, Los Angeles was knocked out in the opening round by defending champion Denver. The team announced Ham's firing Friday. “While this was a difficult decision to make, it is the best course of action following a full review of the season,” GM Rob Pelinka said in a statement.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham, left, argues for a call with referee Kevin Scott, front right, in the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, Monday, April 29, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James reacts as time runs out in the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets Monday, April 29, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)