Game 6 Notebook: Oilers carry history, momentum into series-clinching chance
As the Oilers skate into their first one this spring, they are 7-2 in potential series-clinching games in the McDavid era.
EDMONTON — With the Edmonton Oilers on a three-game roll in this Western Conference first-round series, a familiar pattern is setting in that the Los Angeles Kings hope to reroute in Game 6 tonight.
Over the past three seasons, the Kings have won some games early in this annual matchup. Then the Oilers figure a few things out, and Edmonton wins the games at the end of the series — and moves on to Round 2.
Everybody knows it, but only one team — as you might suspect — was willing to talk about it on the morning of a critical Game 6.
“The past few years, they take the first game or so and kind of take a handle on the series,” said Oilers defenceman Brett Kulak. “But then we make adjustments, and we get better as the series goes on. And that’s been the case this year.”
Predictably, across the way in the Kings’ locker room, the history of this lopsided matchup is not a subject being dwelled on much.
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“I haven’t thought about that once, honestly,” said stud defenceman Drew Doughty, 35, whose average ice time of 27:02 ranks fifth among all players in these playoffs. “Right now we’re in the present. We know we’ve got to win one game and try to get back on home ice.
“What’s happened in the past? In the past, there was different teams, different players… That really has no effect on this game tonight at all. We’ve just got to go win a game.”
In the first three Round 1 meetings, the Kings have blown four separate series leads. They led this series 2-0 before losing the next three games, so that’s one more lead blown in ’25.
Through five games, Edmonton has led this series for just 42:14 compared to 177:22 for the Kings. However, since the third period of Game 4, Edmonton has outscored L.A. 6-1 and outshot the Kings 79-34.
Here are the lines for Game 6. Looks like no lineup changes from Game 5 for either team, at least out of the morning skate:
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OILERS
Draisaitl – McDavid – Perry
Kane – RNH – Hyman
Frederic – Henrique – Brown
Podkolzin – Janmark – Arvidsson
Nurse – Bouchard
Walman – Klingberg
Kulak – Emberson
Pickard
KINGS
Kuzmenko-Kopitar-Kempe
Fiala-Byfield-Laferriere
Foegele-Danault-Moore
Malott-Helenius-Turcotte
Anderson-Doughty
Spence-Gavrikov
Edmundson-Clarke
Kuemper
The clinch
The Oilers will host the Kings on May 1 in a potential Round 1 closeout game — exactly as they did a year ago. On that night 365 days ago, Edmonton defeated L.A. 4-3 in Game 5 of the first round, on goals by Draisaitl (two), Evander Kane and Zach Hyman.
Much has been said about the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 1-13 record in potential series-clinching games. But as the Oilers skate into their first such game this spring, we can report that they are 7-2 in potential series-clinching games in the McDavid era.
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They’re 6-1 over the past three springs — the only loss coming in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against Florida.
So, what’s the psychology surrounding closing the deal?
“Just not to overthink the moment,” said Leon Draisaitl, fresh off his nomination as a Hart Trophy finalist, along with Connor Hellebuyck and Nikita Kucherov. “This is another game in this series — two really good teams playing each other, two teams that know each other really well.
“We believe that our best can beat anyone’s best, more often than not,” Draisaitl explained. “If we’re capable of getting close to our best, we’ve given ourselves a good chance to win. That’s our goal for tonight.”
Death, taxes, bad calls
The Oilers lead the playoffs in total possession time (all situations and five-on-five) and expected goals for. That means they have control of the puck more than any other team and create the most scoring chances.
Yet, the Oilers sit 15th among 16 teams with just 13 penalties drawn through five games.
In this series, the Kings have been awarded 18 power plays compared to Edmonton’s 12 — and L.A. had three power plays to Edmonton’s two in Game 5, despite barely touching the puck through 60 minutes.
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That had local radio personality Bob Stauffer asking Kris Knoblauch for his take on those numbers, and the Oilers coach got a laugh out of the media when he said to Stauffer, “There are some certainties in life: death, taxes, and you being upset with refereeing.”
“Whether you’re the coach, a fan or a player, you’re always upset,” continued Knoblauch. “Overall, I think the (officials) have done a tremendous job, (but) the possession and the expected goals?
“I am a little surprised that we haven’t had a power play advantage in any of these games.”
The Oilers’ power play has pulled up into third in the NHL playoffs at 33 per cent, while the penalty kill — which opened this series allowing five goals on 10 opportunities — has killed five of six penalties over the last two games, both Oilers wins.
Should the flow of penalties shift to the Oilers’ side of the ledger — these playoff series do tend to correct themselves — they are well placed to win the special teams battle in Game 6 on Thursday night.
