Kings stick with their identity to win Game 1 against Oilers

EDMONTON -- If there was any curiosity about what got into the Los Angeles Kings during their 4-3 victory against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round on Monday, the answer is nothing at all.

The Kings were exactly who they've been all season, determined and dogged within games and thriving on a consistency that allowed them to keep their struggles to a minimum, never losing more than three consecutive games in regulation while building a record of 47-27-11 to finish third in the Pacific Division.
"We've used the word identity a lot during the year and we played to that again," coach Todd McLellan said. "It's what gives us a chance.
"We checked pretty well in Game 1]*
Game 2 of the best-of-7 series is here Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; ESPN2, CBC, SN, TVAS, BSSC).
The Kings never trailed in Game 1, opening leads of 2-0 and 3-2, then breaking a third-period deadlock with Phillip Danault's deflection goal with 5:14 remaining in the third period.
Danault had a goal and an assist for his first multipoint game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He has scored 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 39 postseason games.
"That was a big identity game," Danault said. "We showed the character we've got. They came back in the game but we stuck with it and we just got the job done. Everyone did his job. We did simple plays. First game away so it's always important to show what we got, so big win."
Danault was the center on Los Angeles' second line in Game 1 with Alex Iafallo and Trevor Moore, each of whom also scored at 5-on-5. Iafallo moved up to take Viktor Arvidsson's spot when Arvidsson could not play Game 1 because of an undisclosed injury.

It was just another bout of adversity that the Kings have solved this season.
"I've been on teams where the injury thing at this time of the year would really throw you for a loop," McLellan said. "You lose Viktor Arvidsson, we're not loaded with 20-goal scorers and he's a critical offensive and defensive piece to our team, big part of that line. But we've been through this so much this season that it really is just another day at the office for us. Somebody falls out of the lineup and somebody steps in and we try to get it done. And I think resiliency has come through that."
The Kings have been playing without No. 1 defenseman Drew Doughty since March 7 because of a season-ending wrist injury and defenseman Sean Walker since Oct. 25 because of a season-ending knee injury.
"I think we have great depth in this organization and we've shown we can have people step up and play big roles and we did it again tonight for sure," Moore said.
Like Danault, Moore had the first multipoint postseason game of his NHL career with a goal and two assists. It's Moore's second time in the playoffs after playing seven games for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Boston Bruins in the 2019 first round.
Moore said the Kings' veteran leaders like Danault, forwards Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar and goalie Jonathan Quick, who made 36 saves, provided the calm in Game 1. That allowed the Kings to do what they've been doing all season, whether they've been picked to win the series or not.
"We don't care," Moore said. "We just kind of focus on what we're doing. We believe in our group. We believe in our leadership and our coaching and just everything that we do. It's fun for people to pick series. I'm happy they're doing it … [but] I think we can win the series, yeah."