Hyman gets 1st playoff hat trick, McDavid has 5 assists as Oilers beat Kings 7-4 in Game 1

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Zach Hyman helped make sure the Edmonton Oilers avoided another early first-round playoff series hole.

Hyman had three goals and an assist in his first postseason hat trick, Connor McDavid had five assists and the Oilers beat the Los Angeles Kings 7-4 Monday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

“I thought we had a good start, I thought we were good in the first period, worked our way to a 2-0 lead and I thought we showed good energy and we played really well in the first,” McDavid said.

Adam Henrique, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl and Warren Foegele also scored and Evan Bouchard chipped in with four assists for the Oilers, who had lost the first game of their last seven playoff series and had not won Game 1 of a series on home ice since 1990.

Stuart Skinner finished with 33 saves.

“I thought it was a great overall performance,” Bouchard said. “We got on them early like we wanted to do. They pushed, but we battled back and it worked out in our favor. ... Whenever you can get up in a series it’s always a good feeling, especially the way we did it.”

Edmonton is 21-3 all-time when taking a 1-0 lead in a best-of-seven series.

Mikey Anderson, Adrian Kempe, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Trevor Moore scored for the Kings, who were eliminated in the opening round by the Oilers in each of the previous two seasons. Cam Talbot had 38 saves.

“That’s not our model. That’s not the way we play. It’s frustrating,” veteran Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. “We just have to put that game in the past and get back to doing what we do best and that’s playing good two-way hockey.

“We’re down 1-0, but we can easily win and make it 1-1 next game. We have to put it behind us, and learn from what we did wrong and fix what we did wrong and bring it into the next game.”

Game 2 of the best-of-7 series is Wednesday night.

Hyman, who rang a shot off the post a few minutes earlier, started the scoring 6:52 into the opening period. McDavid spun off a defender and then sent a backhand pass in front to Hyman, who beat Talbot. Hyman had 54 goals in the regular season.

Edmonton made it 2-0 less than three minutes later as Henrique, who was picked up at the trade deadline from Anaheim, fired a perfect wrist shot top corner for his first goal in his first postseason appearance in six years. Henrique set a Stanley Cup playoff record for the longest span between goals, his last goal coming 4,333 days earlier when he was in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final in 2012 with the New Jersey Devils.

McDavid continued to work his magic 4:50 into the second period as he once again spun out from behind the net and sent another pretty backhand pass in front to Hyman for his second of the night. The goal came right on the heels of the Kings’ best opportunity to that point when Viktor Arvidsson was stopped on a breakaway by Skinner.

Edmonton added another goal on the power play 8:24 into the second period as Draisaitl spotted Nugent-Hopkins at the backdoor to make it 4-0.

The Kings finally got on the board with 9:04 to play in the second period as Anderson sent a long shot through traffic that got past Skinner for his first career playoff goal.

Los Angeles looked to have struck again less than two minutes later, but was waved off a video review indicated that a shot went off of Trevor Lewis’s glove and was directed into the net.

The Kings did score with 2:04 to play in the middle period as Kempe sent a shot on net that deflected off of defender Bouchard and into the Oilers net to make it 4-2.

Draisaitl scored from a tough angle on a power play at 1:08 of the third.

The Oilers scored a third power-play goal at 6:17 of the third period as Hyman took up position at the side of the net and allowed McDavid to bank it off his stick to finish the hat trick.

Oiler fans peppered the ice with 1,131 hats.

“It is good for the Oilers Store,” said a laughing Hyman, who had four hat tricks during the season. “That is crazy. I have never seen so many hats. It is pretty special to do it here in front of the fans.”

Dubois and Moore scored late to make it 6-4, before Foegele had an empty-netter to seal the win.

Anze Kopitar played in his 93rd career playoff game, passing Dustin Brown, Dave Taylor and Jonathan Quick for second- most in Kings franchise history. He is only one game back of all-time playoff leader Luc Robitaille.

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

Los Angeles Kings goalie Cam Talbot (39) makes the save as Kings' Matt Roy (3) and Edmonton Oilers' Corey Perry (90) battle for a rebound during the first period of Game 1 in first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Phillip Danault (24) and Edmonton Oilers' Mattias Janmark (13) battle for the puck during the first period of Game 1 in first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Phillip Danault (24) skates past the Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97), Adam Henrique (19) and Evan Bouchard (2) who celebrate after a goal during the first period of Game 1 in first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers rough it up during the first period of Game 1 in first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Anze Kopitar (11), Quinton Byfield (55), Adrian Kempe (9) and Matt Roy (3) celebrate a goal as Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) looks on during the second period of Game 1 in first round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings goalie Cam Talbot (39) is scored on by Edmonton Oilers' Zach Hyman (18) as Mikey Anderson (44) and Adam Henrique (19) battle in front during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Jordan Spence (21) tries to stop Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid during the second period of Game 1 in first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Drew Doughty (8) reacts to an empty net goal by the Edmonton Oilers during the third period of Game 1 in first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings goalie Cam Talbot (39) is scored on by Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) during the second period of Game 1 in first round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings goalie Cam Talbot (39) is scored on by Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (93) during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Kings' Matt Roy (3) skates past as Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97), Zach Hyman (18), Evan Bouchard (2) and Leon Draisaitl (29) as they celebrate a goal during the third period of Game 1 in first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Zach Hyman (18) celebrates his hat trick against the Los Angeles Kings during the third period of Game 1 in first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Zach Hyman (18) celebrates a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the second period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

Edmonton Oilers' Mattias Ekholm (14), Evan Bouchard (2) and Zach Hyman (18) celebrate after a goal against the Los Angeles Kings during the first period of Game 1 in first-round NHL Stanley Cup playoff hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Kodai Senga's injury-delayed season debut for the New York Mets was cut short after 5 1/3 innings and 73 pitches when he strained his left calf while pitching against the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.

After inducing Austin Riley to pop up leading off the sixth, Senga pointed toward Pete Alonso and began sprinting off the mound to clear room for the first baseman. The 31-year-old right-hander grabbed his left calf and bounced for a couple steps before falling.

Senga held his calf as he was surrounded by catcher Francisco Alvarez, manager Carlos Mendoza, his interpreter and an athletic trainer. Senga and the trainer rubbed Senga’s calf before Senga got up, exchanged hugs and handshakes with teammates on the infield and limped off.

Senga, who missed the first 102 games with a right shoulder capsule strain, allowed just two hits — including Adam Duvall’s two-run homer in the second inning — while striking out nine. He retired his final 10 batters.

Runner-up to Arizona's Corbin Carroll for NL Rookie of the Year last season, Senga was 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA in 29 starts after signing a $75 million, five-year contract.

Senga began a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment on July 3 and went 0-0 with a 4.15 ERA in four starts, three for Triple-A Syracuse and one for Class A Brooklyn.

Right-handed reliever Eric Orze was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and emerging reliever Dedniel Núñez was put on the 15-day injured list with a right pronator strain. Right-handers Adrian Houser and Shintaro Fujinami were designated for assignment.

Núñez, 2-0 with a 2.43 ERA and one save in 24 games, had an MRI that didn't reveal any elbow ligament damage, manager Carlos Mendoza said. The 28-year-old right-hander began feeling tightness following back-to-back appearances at Miami last Saturday and experienced discomfort again Wednesday,

Houser, acquired from Milwaukee with outfielder Tyrone Taylor on Dec. 20, was 1-5 with a 7.84 ERA and one save in seven starts and 16 relief appearances. He opened 0-3 with an 8.16 ERA in his first six starts before working himself into a late-inning bullpen role by going 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 12 appearances from May 10 through June 30.

Hauser was scored upon in all five of his outings this month with a 9.00 ERA.

“Even when we put him in the bullpen, he was always willing to take the baseball and do whatever the team needed,” Mendoza said. “He was such a professional. It was just hard for him to find that consistency.”

Fujinami signed to a $3.35 million, one-year deal and opened the season with Syracuse. He was recalled and placed on the 15-day injured list on May 13 with a strained right shoulder, then walked eight in 8 2/3 innings over nine rehab appearances since June 25.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets' Kodai Senga, right, high-fives Luis Severino while walking into the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga gestures while walking into the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga (34) reacts as he leaves the field due to an injury during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)

New York Mets' Kodai Senga grabs his leg as he reacts to an injury during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith)