Kings shut out Oilers in Hiller’s debut as coach

Stuart Skinner made 22 saves for the Oilers (30-17-1), who went 1-2-0 on a three-game road trip after winning 16 straight prior to the All-Star break.

“I thought against Vegas we played solid (a 3-1 loss on Tuesday), last night we battled (a 5-3 win at the Anaheim Ducks),” Edmonton forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. “We have to find it again, no excuses, and we have to get the second half rolling.”

Pierre-Luc Dubois put the Kings up 1-0 at 2:38 of the second period, scoring with a wrist shot from the right circle on the power play.

Dubois, who had six points (three goals, three assists) in 15 games in January, when the Kings went 3-7-5, acknowledged that he had not been contributing enough in order to help turn things around.

“The coaching staff here, first day I got back, they challenged me to be a better player out there and to be a difference-maker,” Dubois said. “That can come scoring goals, assists, but it could also come from hits, drawing penalties, all of the things that not everybody notices.”

Trevor Lewis scored 49 seconds later to make it 2-0. He finished a pass from Byfield in the right circle on a 2-on-1.

Byfield then gave Los Angeles a 3-0 lead at 7:06 of the third period, putting in the rebound of Vladislav Gavrikov’s initial shot from the bottom left circle with Edmonton defenseman Vincent Desharnais screening Skinner.

“I think every night I just try to go out there, work as hard as I can, be effective any which way I can,” Byfield said. “Points come, they come, but the most important thing is wins.”