Former Oiler Greene burns old team
Hemsky doesn't finish game
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 25, 2009 | 11:52 PM MT
The Canadian Press
Defenceman Matt Greene scored late in the third period to snap a tie and Alexander Frolov added an empty-net goal to give the Los Angeles Kings a 3-1 road victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night.
Greene, who spent his first three NHL seasons with Edmonton, scored at 15:32 of the third as Los Angeles (14-9-2) won for the first time in three games. Wayne Simmonds scored and assisted on Greene's goal, while Jon Quick finished with 22 saves.
The Kings are playing better on the road than at their home at Staples Center. With their ninth win on the road, they're tied with San Jose for the best in the Western Conference.
"We had two games at home that we lost where we didn't work as hard as we should have," Simmonds said. "So that was our goal tonight, to come in and play a solid 60 minutes. I think we did that and it was a big character win for us."
Greene beat Oilers starter Jeff Deslauriers with a point shot high to the stick side for his first goal of the season. He scored just twice last year in a full 82-game season.
"That was a big one," Greene said. "Mind you, any goal for me is a big one. They don't come too often. It was a good feeling to get a game-winner against my old team. I was just trying to shoot it hard. I had no idea where it was going."
Edmonton (10-12-3) failed in its bid to win consecutive games for the first time in more than a month. The Oilers, who have won just four of the last 16, will hit the road for a game Friday in San Jose.
To make matters worse, Ales Hemsky was drilled into the boards by Michal Handzus. Hemsky suffered an upper-body injury on the hit and did not return.
"He got hit earlier in the game as well, but this one was full force into the boards," Oilers coach Pat Quinn said. "It was a hard hit and he got himself hurt. I don't know how long he will be out. But it's not real positive right now."
Ryan Potulny put the Oilers up 1-0 late in the first, with Deslauriers impressing with a 32-save performance. The netminder was starting his fourth consecutive game due to Nikolai Khabibulin's back injury.
'We played just poorly enough to not win it and they played just well enough to win it. They're going home with two points and we are sucking wind.'— Oilers coach Pat Quinn
Edmonton nearly opened the scoring with seven minutes to play in the first period. Oilers forwards Ethan Moreau and Shawn Horcoff crashed the net, and although the puck crossed the line, Quick was ruled to have been pushed into the net with it.
Edmonton struck first five minutes later, as Sheldon Souray's point-blast was tipped home by Potulny.
Los Angeles outshot Edmonton 12-8 in the first but Deslauriers stood his ground.
The Kings tied the game early in the second on a Simmonds shot that beat a screened Deslauriers. They held a 25-15 shot advantage after 40 minutes and then were the opportunistic ones in the third.
"It was one of those games that was up there for grabs by one of the two teams and they got it and we didn't," Quinn said. "We played just poorly enough to not win it and they played just well enough to win it. They're going home with two points and we are sucking wind."
Frolov, in the doghouse earlier this season, scored into the empty cage for his first goal in 11 games.
Anze Kopitar, who owns a share of the league lead in scoring, went without a goal for the seventh straight game.
With files from CBCSports.ca
