The Edmonton Oilers have themselves a battle in Round 1 against the Los Angeles Kings as the series is tied 1-1 and heading to Los Angeles. The Oilers have deserved better as they have held 2-0 leads in both games and the Kings have capitalized on their limited chances and made it a series.
The Oilers are a strong road team and had the fifth-best record in the league. To counter that, the Kings had the fifth-best home record in the league. Though the Oilers might be the favourites to come out of the West, it’s not going to be a walk in the park. In order to push the Kings to the brink of elimination on the road, here are three things the Oilers need to continue to do in Games 3 and 4.
Continue to Start Strong & Dominate
The Oilers have gotten off to 2-0 leads in each of the first two games before the 13-minute mark of the first period, then allowed the Kings to tie both games. In terms of shots on goal and offensive chances, the Oilers have had a lot more, outshooting the Kings 22-17 and 25-14 in the first two periods.
The Oilers held the Kings to just three shots in Game 2 well into the second period. Edmonton has had to create a lot of chances at even strength because of the lopsided penalties that have been called. The Oilers are 2/4 on the power play as the all-time best power play this season, while the Kings are 2/10.
Puck possession, which starts with faceoffs, has been very one-sided. The Oilers have won 74 draws to the Kings’ 56. The Oilers are known to be a puck-possession team as it is one of the reasons they led the league in goals. The top lines and players aren’t the only ones who control play in the offensive zone either. The depth has been making plays and getting chances too, as Klim Kostin and Derek Ryan each scored and were on the ice for two goals in Game 2.
Roll 11 Forwards, 7 Defence
For the majority of the season, the Oilers dressed 11 forwards and seven defencemen. This was due to two rookies being in the lineup at once, whether it be Vincent Desharnais, Philip Broberg, and/or Markus Niemelainen. The Oilers eventually started to use 12 forwards and six defence down the stretch and into the playoffs, starting Game 1 versus the Kings that way. Even though the Oilers lost the first game, I wouldn’t say it wasn’t effective. But with Mattias Janmark’s injury that should keep him out for the entire first round, the Oilers went back to 11-7 for Game 2.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Oilers Game 2 Win Over Kings
The reason the Oilers should continue running with this type of lineup for the remainder of the first round and playoffs is because their opponents have such a hard time line-matching against Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It also allows two of the best all-time playoff performers to get away from the elite two-way centers that are Anze Kopitar and Phillip Danault (from “Why L.A. Kings captain Anže Kopitar reached his high point as a leader this season”, The Athletic, Apr. 17, 2023).
With the Oilers going with 11 forwards and three centers, McDavid and Draisaitl also get to play with the third and fourth lines. This is a reason that the fourth line has been out there for two goals for in the two games. Going back to 12-6 won’t give the Oilers as much freedom to mess up the Kings’ line matching, especially at home when the Kings have the last change.
Play the More Physical Game
The Oilers have shown their dominance physically through the first two games thus far, making the bigger hits and hitting more often. They have the size that they didn’t have last season with the additions of Mattias Ekholm, Desharnais, Nick Bjugstad, and Klim Kostin, and it has shown at both ends of the ice.
The Oilers have 110 hits to the Kings’ 101, but that’s being generous to the Kings as the Oilers have still outhit their opponents while controlling the puck a lot more. The Kings have scored a few goals from right in front of the Oilers’ net, so Edmonton needs to step up their physical play around their net to shut the Kings down.
The Oilers have already been executing all three of these areas I mentioned for the most part. Even with the series moving to Los Angeles, the Oilers remain in the driver’s seat. I expect them to take at least one of the next two games, but both isn’t too much to ask for if Edmonton continues to play the way they have for the first two periods of the series so far.