The LA Kings continued their stretch of excellent hockey with a drubbing of their rival Edmonton Oilers by a score of 6-3.

Goal Breakdown

1st period:

LAK: Kevin Fiala PPG (14), Assists: Adrian Kempe (11), Anze Kopitar (22)

LAK: Kevin Fiala PPG (15), Assists: Gabriel Vilardi (13)

EDM: Kailer Yamamoto (4), Assists: Darnell Nurse (15), Evan Bouchard (12)

2nd period:

LAK: Adrian Kempe PPG (16), Assists: Kevin Fiala (30), Phillip Danault (19)

LAK: Adrian Kempe PPG (17), Assists: Kevin Fiala (31), Drew Doughty (21)

EDM: Ryan McLeod (4), Assists: Evan Bouchard (13), Philip Broberg (3)

3rd period:

LAK: Alex Iafallo (7), Assists: Viktor Arvidsson (21), Drew Doughty (22)

EDM: Connor McDavid (34), Unassisted

LAK: Viktor Arvidsson ENG (12), Unassisted

Special teams propel LA

It was all about the special teams on Monday night for the LA Kings. For the first time since 2012, the Kings scored four power-play goals. Kevin Fiala kicked things off with two straight tallies with the extra man in the first period and Adrian Kempe added the other two in a remarkable showing from the Kings’ top unit.

But it wasn’t just the man advantage that helped the Kings topple the Oilers. Coming into the game Edmonton boasted the NHL’s number-one-ranked power play, and LA was able to hold them off the board in six opportunities.

It brings a lot of confidence in the team’s future endeavors, knowing perhaps the one area that let the Kings down last year in the playoffs was what beat LA’s rival.

Kevin Fiala is otherworldly

Just when you thought you’ve seen the best from the LA Kings’ new dynamic winger Kevin Fiala, he follows up a hat trick performance against the Golden Knights on Saturday with a remarkable four-point effort (2g,2a) on Monday night against Edmonton.

Fiala took over in the first period, scoring two quick goals on the power play, giving fans hope they’d see the first back-to-back hat trick performance from an LA player since 1988. Unfortunately, no hats would fly toward the Crypto.com Arena ice, but Fiala would be instrumental in the two Adrian Kempe goals including a laser beam of a pass to spring Juice for a breakaway for the Kings’ third power play goal.

Kings fans can rejoice knowing Fiala is playing well above advertised in only year one of his seven-year contract. That deal could end up bringing a ton of value if the Swiss-born player can continue playing at this level.

No backing down

The rivalry between the LA Kings and Edmonton Oilers has quickly become one of the more exciting ones in the NHL. And with some newfound bad blood between the two teams, we’re starting to see a lot more weight being thrown around.

The Kings were playing excellent hockey throughout the night frustrating the Oilers to the point where physicality was their only option. But LA was up for the task. After a questionable hit from Jesse Puljujarvi in the neutral zone during the second period, alternate captain Phillip Danault skated straight over and challenged the Oiler forward to a fight and easily took the tilt with a 10-8 decision.

Quinton Byfield was forced to leave the game but did eventually come back, after a hard clean hit from Zach Hyman early in the contest. Once the game was pretty much settled late in the third frame, Sean Durzi confronted Hyman before a faceoff and the two would drop the gloves shortly after puck drop. It’s the exact type of intensity you want to see from the Kings showing they won’t back down from their hated rivals.

UP NEXT: The Kings are back home on Wednesday night to play another divisional opponent the San Jose Sharks at 7:00 pm PT.

Featured image: (Getty Images)

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