Silver, black, just-win attitudes and a commitment to excellence once symbolized the NFL’s Raiders in Southern California, but in the past decade, those colors and qualities have been embodied by the NHL’s Kings.

Eight years removed from winning two Stanley Cup championships in three seasons, the Kings moved within one victory of their first playoff series victory since 2014 as they defeated the Edmonton Oilers, 5-4, in overtime on Tuesday night at Rogers Place.

Winger Adrian Kempe scored his second goal of the night just 72 seconds into overtime as he burst up the right wing wall, protected the puck and drove hard to the net for a sweep-in goal that ended the game and sent the series back to Los Angeles with the Kings in position to end it on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.

Goalie Jonathan Quick made key saves on defenseman Darnell Nurse and Leon Draisaitl in the waning moments of the match as part of a 24-save night through three periods. Defenseman Troy Stecher had a goal and an assist. He and Kempe joined center Phillip Danault and winger Andreas Athanasiou as the goal-scorers for the Kings.

Forward Leon Draisaitl had two goals and an assist to pace the Oilers. He skated more frequently with center Connor McDavid, who picked up a goal and two assists, including one on winger Zack Kassian’s goal. Mike Smith stopped 31 shots.

The two sides went toe to toe on special teams in the third period, and predictably Edmonton came out ahead.

With 4:52 left in regulation, McDavid sent a seam pass to Draisaitl for a one-timer that knotted the score at 4-4.

Just 2:35 earlier, Draisatil scored shorthanded after McDavid’s centering pass was deflected to him trailing the play for a goal that reduced the Kings’ lead to one. With that, the Kings had allowed as many goals shorthanded in the series (two) as they’d scored on the power play.

The Kings had cast aside their struggles on the power play at a key moment. An ephemeral five-on-three gave way to an extended double-minor opportunity, and the Kings cashed in on the first of those two-minute penalties.

As Kempe skated into the right faceoff circle, he dropped a decisive pass down to Danault, who redirected the puck, surprising Smith as it dribbled through him for an insurance marker with 8:54 to play.

Early in the third period, Edmonton had closed to within one when McDavid’s first power-play shot of the series became his first power-play goal. A scrambled draw left a loose puck in front of Quick before McDavid pounced, glided through the slot and lifted a backhand shot past Quick.

On Sunday, there was no shortage of chippiness and Tuesday’s meeting was also spicy. Edmonton out-hit the Kings 20-9 in the opening frame and there was a scuffle right off the opening faceoff in the second period.

Yet Edmonton seemed preoccupied with the physical game and made headway in very few other areas. After out-scoring the Kings 8-3 in the second periods of the first three games, the Kings got the better of the middle frame Tuesday.

With 6:26 showing on the second-period clock, the Kings earned some separation thanks to the hustle and touch of Athanasiou, who drew in for Gabe Vilardi on Tuesday. First, he beat out an icing call, challenging Edmonton defenseman Brett Kulak behind the Edmonton goal. Kulak coughed up the puck to winger Dustin Brown, who found Athanasiou at the side of the net for a goal.

Athanasiou struggled defensively in Game 3 and did not play in Game 4 – he was likely a healthy scratch though, Coach Todd McLellan refused to confirm that – but he returned to the lineup with a tangible contribution. That was nothing new for the Kings, whose lineup adjustments paid dividends in Game 4 as well, or Athanasiou, who notched six points in the five games in which he returned from a scratch of any kind during the regular season.

Kempe gave the Kings their second lead of the night with his first career playoff goal as the match approached its midpoint. After top centers Connor McDavid and Anze Kopitar traded chances, Kopitar hit the offensive zone with momentum before dishing to Kempe. The pass behind him, but that turned out to be fortuitous as in reaching back for the puck Kempe changed and disguised his shooting angle, deceiving Smith effectively albeit unintentionally.

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For all the Kings’ early success, their one-goal lead proved fragile 2:32 into the second period. A shot attempt hit winger Grundstrom in front and came to McDavid. Quick expertly waited him out and dove desperately to take away the near side, forcing McDavid behind the net where he made a pass to Kassian for a tap-in at the opposite post that narrowly eluded defenceman Mikey Anderson.

In the first period, the Kings had twice as many blocks (10) as Edmonton had shots on goal (five), and they hit the net 16 times. Possession metrics skewed heavily toward the Kings as well, making it a wonder that Edmonton escaped with only a one-goal disadvantage.

The Oilers nearly went down by two, but Smith recovered from a puck-handling miscue that ended up on Grundstrom’s stick for a dangerous shot.

Less than four minutes into the match, the Kings scored Game 5’s first goal thanks to the same two role players that propelled them in Game 4. Grundstrom, who had three points in Game 4, dug a rebound out of the crease to keep the play alive until a D-to-D pass from Alex Edler to Stecher set up the latter’s second goal in as many games. Stecher has scored as often in two playoff games with the Kings as he did in 17 postseason appearances with Vancouver.

More to come on this story.

KEMPE!!!!!! OT WINNER @LAKings | #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/5IHRXXpGWZ

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) May 11, 2022

Kempe takes us through the winner@LAKings | #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/YQIrM5nWOH

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) May 11, 2022

“Let’s do this”

Phillip Danault postgame@LAKings | #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/qv6hRRTs2k

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) May 11, 2022

“Have to find a way to be better (in game 6)”

Todd McLellan postgame@LAKings | #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/2ycAL6UKnv

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) May 11, 2022