Where to start. The team played what might be the best and most complete Oilers hockey game this century. Seriously. The high-danger scoring chances (29 to 7) featured 10 different players contributing. The stars were sizzling, the role players were exceptional, the goalie was effective in a game when no one had to be the hero but most of the roster did something special anyway.
Great sticks (Brett Kulak take a bow), great shot blocks (hello Evander Kane and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins) and an absolute mountain of offensive sorties over and over again. The Kings look like a deer in the headlights now, they’re playing the living hell out of their best and it will be a long row to hoe getting this series to Game 7. Drew Doughty has been on the ice for 44 percent of LA’s five-on-five icetime (via Natural Stat Trick). Even though he (and I) think he’s timeless, that’s an impossible workload for a man who is 35.
The Oilers have the Kings right where they want them. No guarantees now, but this series appears to have reached the tipping point. These two franchises are connected in many ways, several of those connections uncomfortable (Unger penalty during the Miracle on Manchester, Gretzky sale) or diabolical (Mikey Anderson’s moment versus Leon Draisaitl). It’s a strange world we live in, Master Jack. The Kings owned this series, went out for a drive and never came back.
The Oilers found their game when backs were against the wall. That is a calling card of these Oilers. Dig a hole, find a sliver of daylight and then hammer until Ivan Drago is dust.
I find myself a little in awe of this team today. Words to describe the completeness of the effort don’t come easily. Why? Because this didn’t build, this wasn’t a lego set with pieces that fit perfectly with instructions included.
This has been a roster in constant transition, with obvious flaws. Like a fat man trying to tuck in his shirt at the Saturday dance, there has been a certain sadness about the inability to build around generational pieces.
Last night these Oilers came together with a sinewy grace that left us grasping for prose to adequately chronicle the moment. It may take some time.
Maybe I’m amazed.
THE NUMBERS
Read ’em and weep. What a fantastic player card. Look at the pairings! Jake Walman was an inspired acquisition at the deadline, and today there is hope this club can make it to Mattias Ekholm’s return. Adding an actual Viking to this roster can only be a good thing.
Evander Kane had a massive role in this game, Mattias Janmark too. Holy hell you can’t find a passenger, no one under glass. Great sticks, massive interceptions and redirections, stunning passes showing amazing skill even among those who have seen age 40.
I’m still exhausted from the game. I didn’t sleep well at all. I kept dreaming about the game. I woke up once and realized my legs were running! When you stare at something forever, waiting for the flower to bloom, what does one call it in when that beautiful moment arrives?
Miles to go. Miles to go. Last night was ‘start as you mean to go’ and there was no ‘burning daylight’ to be found. Skilled, smart, alert, in the moment. Music!
The Lowdown hits at noon, Sports 1440. We’ll chat about a memorable night for Oilers fans with our feature guest Kevin McCurdy. Declan Krueger will have ‘Declanations’ focusing on the NBA and we’ll chat about the Jays, NFL and more. Mostly Oilers, and we’ll read a pile of your texts. I’m at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section here and on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly. We can be heard at sports1440.ca; iHeartRadio, Radioplayer Canada, it’s available post-show on apple and spotify, and we tweet it out on X.
New for The Athletic: Four Oilers players making a playoff case for feature roles beyond this season
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6319766/2025/04/30/oilers-nhl-playoffs-kane-klingberg-perry/
From Gregor:
In yesterday’s thread, someone mentioned Stu Skinner’s new born and how it may be affecting his play. And honestly I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately. Not only the effects his new born can have on his sleep, but the couple times he was removed from the game for concussion protocol, and how he missed the last part of the season.
Lack of sleep and concussions aren’t a very good mix for healing. I don’t think he has fully recovered from his concussion. And exerting yourself with a concussion can exacerbate symptoms as well. Concussions aren’t a strange beast. I really hope this isn’t the case. But it may be a highly probable scenario.
Are a strange beast…
I’m all for running back Pickard – Skinner as the tandem next year.
Basically you won’t find a better goalie than Picks for $1M, and I bet Stu Skinner’s best hockey is still in front of him.
At their best both goalies are proven winners.
I wonder if all the disrespect for Pickard is fueling him with momentum. Everytime the media address him it’s with the word back-up. Pickard started almost half the games with usually the tail end of back to back games Pickard has been the better Goalie all year I think he’s only going to get better and better as the team believes in him.
Can you imagine if we blew a 2-0 series lead to a team and their backup! We would be losing it.
You and I have been on the same page for over a month.
Cal Pickard’s Quality Start % is right up there with Hallebuyck, Stolarz, Kuemper, Vasilevskiy, and Thompson.
https://www.hockey-reference.com/leagues/NHL_2025_goalies.html
Now filter for QoC.
I’ve been on the Pickard train since he signed. I was impressed with the depth Holland managed to get for what was supposed to be the organizational #3.
But let’s not conflate his good work into Vezina calibre, just yet.
Though making a case for the Conn Smythe is something I’d love to have time for.
Ty Rattie for Rocket & Calvin Pickard for Conn Smythe
Josh Brown for the Norris
He wasn’t conflating with Vezina, he’s pointing out where Pickards play stands.
QoC is tiresome, Oilers are a team that all the bottom teams rise up against.
Oilers use to be one of those teams that would lose to bad teams, yet somehow play their best hockey against the best teams while being in the draft lottery.
Pickard made the saves, got the wins, earned the trust.
I think 3 consecutive wins over the 100-point Kings deflates the QoC argument does it not?
What’s the difference between Darcy Kuemper and actress/comedienne Ellie Kemper?
Ellie plays the title character in the series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”.
Darcy plays the besieged goalie in the series “EDM vs. LA”, and is definitely breakable.
I’m just back from LA and let me tell you, the Kings fans I was talking to there are in absolute disarray. They’re not sure what their team has to do to get past the Oilers. There’s a lot of head scratching and talk of changing the look of the roster to be more difficult to play against. Lots of chat about LA having a lack of depth versus the Oilers – what a change from where we were after Game 2.
I’m counting no chickens yet as this is fans we’re talking about here, not people in the know or in the team, but LA have been rocked.
G’OIL.
You know it was a great game when HH is feverishly posting trying to keep the fire down 🔥. I love it!
Maybe some articles on the implosion of the Canucks would refresh the soul?
Bouchard is playing very well Maybe with Klingberg and Walman playing so well Bouchard doesn’t feel he has to do so much and he can relax and focus on just playing within himself
Bouch has been playing good when he is not with Nurse. Everyone’s numbers are down with Nurse in the playoffs. He is even doing his fall on his belly thing in front of the net again. Coffee finally got rid of that this year and it’s back for the playoffs.
Oilers received a first line left winger for the playoffs this year. That’s a huge ad.
Evander Kane
I thought you meant Jeff Skinner. He is a career point per game player in the playoffs. 😀
A first line left winger that can’t break onto the first line because(checks notes) the Rocket Richard winner is playing there in stead.
Wagon.
Edmonton Oilers can play at the highest high, they can also play at the……
hold on a sec
Can we just stay up at the highs for a while??
It looks like they fully intend to.
For me it’s game 6 of the 2006 SCF. EDM utterly dominated CAR en route to a 2-0 shutout score that flattered the opposition. Such a strong victory, it made me fear they’d peaked early.
This time, though, they’re just gaining a head of steam and appear poised to flatten all comers.
What a game.
4-0 shutout, if I remember correctly – i was at that game.
It was an epic night.
Thanks OP, so much the better. Should teach me for posting when I should be working (but it probably won’t).
The Kings got their hero performance from Kuemper last night and they squandered it. There’s no way that team looks like they can come into Edmonton and stave off elimination. *knocks on wood with the fury of 1000 suns*
The Kings had the yips from the opening face-off.
They were unable to complete short passing plays nor effectively clear the zone.
As our host often says, single events can have a huge impact.
The defining events of the series will likely be Quinton Byfield failing to clear the zone and Hiller’s ill-fated challenge.
The yips will likely be magnified in Edmonton but you never know when lucky bounces will appear.
Single events are “single” moments in a game… not repeated yips mistakes
One hundred minutes straight of “single events”?
Everything that ever happens is in the moment without question.
2nd defining moment; Hiller calling for goaltender interference review.
The biggest blunder, by far, was the Byfield failed clear – in my opinion.
He gets the puck out (without icing) and that game is 99% over.
Frank Seravalli
@frank_seravalli
2025 Ted Lindsay Award finalists for most outstanding player as voted by their @NHLPA
peers: Nikita Kucherov (TBL), Nathan MacKinnon (COL) and Cale Makar (COL).
There is consternation in Tampa as Kucherov hasn’t scored a goal in his past 14 playoff games going back to G1 of 2023, and the team is staring down it’s third consecutive first round elimination (at least partly) as a result. He does have 14 assists and is +1 in that span though.
How do you have two MVP nominees from the same team?
Ah well. In our heart of hearts, we know who the true da bomb nom nom nom is.
Unser Typ ist unglaublich! Drai ist Eindrucksvoll!
Apparently the majority of actual NHL players don’t agree with you.
I assume that 29, like 97, only really cares about receiving Stanley. They are both first ballot HOF right now even without a SCF win, so all that matters now is bringing it home.
Go Leon Go
Of course the 3 nominated players already have cup rings and will also be first ballot HOF winners.
Good candidates. Hellboy, Kuemper….There a lot to choose from. Drai’s injury is the only reason he isn’t one of them. 97 was horrible this year so he is def out, lol… too hurt as well.
I think Makar gets this one.
There’s only 1 player in the league that puts up 100pts in 67 games and is told he’s horrible lol.
MacKinnon has already won the Ted Lindsay award this year HH, get your facts straight
https://www.nhl.com/news/colorado-avalanche-nathan-mackinnon-wins-ted-lindsay-award
Can’t tell if you’re serious or not… so I’ll just leave this here.
HH posted a link to last year’s Jack Adams award announcement on yesterday’s lowetide post, claiming Rick Tocchet won the Jack Adams this year
I am trolling him lol
I’ve been unavailable for a few days, and I must admit crow has never tasted better.
I was certain after game two that Jackson had hurt the team last summer and that Bowman hadn’t done enough to get things back on track. Bravo to all of the players doing their best and winning so dominantly!!
Same boat!
I think it’s a bit early to say “all is forgiven” and have a full 5 course crow dinner, but the first crow appetizer is tasting very good so far.
hammer until Ivan Drago is dust.
Gold, Jerry.
This group of strangers suddenly morphed into something like the relentless, steady-Eddie squad who knocked off 16 in a row. Outta nowhere.
Nowhere, Jerry!
Damn LT, one of your best write-ups yet. Sending to all my friends.
I am really starting to enjoy watching Frederic play. He has an exceptional defensive conscience, and seeing him out there, I felt very calm. I think having a line with him, Brown and Henrique, all who can hold their weight defensively, even opens things up a bit for our offensive blue liners, knowing they have coverage.
One other thing I loved with Frederic – him chirping the Kings and constantly taking the body. This team now has Frederic, Kane, Perry, Nurse, and Draisaitl who aren’t afraid to mix it up. Add in Hyman who has been hitting like a truck, and yeah, this team can be mean. Good!
Absolutely loved when Kane came over to stand up to Gavrikov. Didn’t take a penalty, but made it very clear that those antics weren’t going to stand.
Forgetting one punch man Podkolzin
Kulak and Janmark are known to be able to hold their own in dustups.
Also, Emberson who had good tussles with two tough customers this season.
And how could you forget Ryan “Rocky” Nugent-Hopkins 🙂
Ahh yes! How could I forget Podz. Not afraid to throw the body at all – love it!
I did not expect the defensive game we are seeing from Frederic – he was out there late defending the lead a bunch of times and was always making the right play in the right position.
A week ago, Bowman criticized all over Oil Country for having wasted $1.7MM of cap space on John Klingberg – today, Klingberg a REAL and substantial part of the Oilers success in winning the last 3 straight.
I, for one, welcome seeing all these super-talented young stars, and hope that the NHL will foster letting talent shine, rather than supporting grinder bully hockey in the years to come.
I am astounded by O’Reilly’s point streak and at how well he’s been doing all year and in the playoffs, but then I looked West and see some extremely exciting hockey that bodes well for the future of the sport. McKenna is a shining star.
https://medicinehatnews.com/sports/local-sports/2025/04/30/mckenna-reaches-yet-another-level-with-record-breaking-point-streak/
DuPont (Silvertips D) is going to be a stud when he makes it to the show as well
Mike Kelly:
That should be etched on Kuemper’s deserved Vezina trophy. We nearly got goalied.
Etch it on his 2025 playoff tombstone tomorrow night!
Incredible Lou Reed reference LT!
We are a veteran team with a tonne of playoff pedigree yet we get 0 respect from the Refs. Every game we get 2 extra ticky tack penalties that give the opposition a leg up. I wonder how much of a minus the penalty number is over the last 5 playoffs? We need a coach that can play the refs like say a Maurice who’s Panthers dictate to the Refs what they can get away with as for us we’re always at the mercy of the Zebras.
The Oilers need the only coach that has beaten their current coach in a 7 game series.
I’ll say it again, it’s management that needs to go public and make a stink about officiating if the organization feels they’re unfairly penalized.
There isn’t a coach in the league that dictates anything to the refs.
The best player on the ice last night wore a Kings jersey. The next best 19 players all wore Oiler jerseys.
The post game media avail with Spector showing everyone how the media drives folks away, I’m glad Pickard clapped back.
No passengers last night, bottle it up and bring it to game 6!
Kane has caused everyone to forecheck, McDrai is either jamming the puck down or Kane and Hyman are bullying or the suddenly physical Henrique is rocking or Podkolzin is lining you up. Beautiful filth.
Walman/Klingberg seem to keep the pace of flowing going that Bouchard typically sets from the back end, Klings pass to Kane, 100 more please.
I saw that too. The eye rolls from the players when Spec asks silly questions like that is the best part. I don’t think they take him particularly seriously anymore.
Spec has already written the hit piece. He asks questions designed to corroborate what he’s written.
I missed that.
Did Spec ask an absurd question trying to validate some “old-school” narrative he had already decided on?
Or was the question a thinly-veiled complaint about the quality of food available in the press box?
Spec just repeating the word back up at Pickard 300 times, then Pickard replied with didnt you ask me the same question last year? which made Kane giggle like a schoolboy watching Earnest scared stupid at the theatre.
I think he’s referring to the “did you ever think a lowly backup like you would be in this position” (paraphrased) to which Pickard answered “you asked me this exact question last year. See my previous response”. The room erupted in laughter.
Spec: Calvin whose jersey were you wearing the last time you had four playoff starts in a row (leading question that Spec knows the answer to)
Pickard answered back with confusion at first and then a professional answer acknowledging that this would have last happened when he was playing major junior.
Spec then asks, with lots of awkward and unnecessary buildup, if being the starter at Pickard’s age feels surreal sometimes.
Pickard: You asked me the same question last year.
Room breaks out in laughter.
Can we all chip in a few $ to pay for Spec’s early retirement so we can put him out to pasture?
There, again, was a lot of talk this year about how terrible the refs are.
There was again people rushing to the refs defense for not calling penalties. “They’re only human”, “mistakes happen”, “it’s a fast game”. Where suggesting that refs were more interested in game management than actually calling penalties as they saw them was called “conspiracy theory”.
Last night Byfield covered the puck with his hands in the blue paint with a ref watching intently. No penalty shot called.
I can see the merits in “letting them play” when it comes to not calling penalties for every chippy play in a player vs player situation in a playoff game. But when a player checks off all of the criteria of a penalty in that situation except for picking up the puck and throwing it down the ice, what’s the excuse?
There was a play early in the game where an LA player clearly interfered with an Edmonton player then went in on a 2-1. Can’t recall the players involved but it looked blatant. If LA scores there it changes the game. I don’t think LA got a shot off.
What I’m seeing is if two players come together away from the puck, there is no calls. Calls off the puck are rare. The refs only call something when it’s on the puck carrier. The interference away from the puck is rampant but to give the refs some credit, it’s typically both teams and both players involved.
They’ve tackled McDavid and Draisaitl, cross-checked McDavid while on the ice right in front of the ref, cross-checked Kane, Nurse, and others. Elbowed players in the head. Hauled Hyman down and sprawled on top of him, in front of the ref…and the ref called the play dead, so obviously he noticed something, just not anything worth a penalty.
If people seriously watch this series and still mock Oilers fans for calling the refs out, especially when refs have verbally confirmed that they game manage AND that they specifically don’t call many penalties for McDavid due to how fast he plays and how unfair it’d be, when they have so much objective evidence, I have no idea how to relay to them what’s going on.
It’s beyond “Oilers fan cries Wolf” when the wolves openly admit it. Especially now that gambling is intertwined.
I get that it can be annoying to hear fan complaints, and for teams that have so much talent, but why does this team derive so much hatred from other teams, fans, and even non-fans? It’s irrational.
Maybe threatening a collective fan law suit against the NHL citing fraud/collusion etc would get the NHL’s attention, with the ensuing publicity threatening the integrity of the game and as a result possibly future dollars.
It goes back to Sather days who was a 5th line journeyman player that had no pedigree but had the vision to change the game. Oilers were either loved or mostly hated the team took on the personality of Sather. Now the folks running the league who were embarrassed by the Oilers (Parros) on many occasions try to get blatant payback to the organization.
I think the “Oilers fan cries wolf” thing is borne out of the fact that after every game, without fail, no matter the result, social media is flooded with Oilers fans pointing out calls/non-calls that were missed that went against them, without any acknowledgment of the calls/non-calls that went in their favor, and blaming every loss on officiating,
A decent part of the mocking is the conspiratorial thinking that the league is out to get Edmonton/there’s some gambling conspiracy, which I don’t understand – why would the league try to make sure its biggest star, and arguably it’s biggest European star, doesn’t get far in the playoffs? The league has a massive financial interest in making sure its best players are front and center in the playoffs.
It’s like arguing the NBA was out to get Michael Jordan Bulls, or the NFL is out to get Patrick Mahomes Chiefs …
As you say, 99% of the time “letting them play” is simply game management. The ref simply looked on with a blank stare as Kane was cross-checked into the net — a dangerous play to both Kane and Pickard — as giving the Oilers a PP at that point would play against the narrative. No one wants a player being called for a face-wash after the whistle in a close game but a third period following Hudson’s Bay rules is bad for the viewer and the sport overall.
Yeah the player vs player interactions I can see the reasoning as to why refs don’t call a penalty on every chippy interaction.
But when it’s a player who dives and covers a puck with both hands in the blue paint to prevent a goal.. that’s a penalty shot.
What’s next? Someone firing the puck into the net above the boards in the 3rd and the refs letting it go just because they don’t want to disrupt the flow of the game?
Now that I remember, the uncalled Too Many Men last night was also egregious. L.A. knew they’d get away with jumping off the bench and engaging with the play immediately, and well, they were right.
I don’t love the “let them play” mentality, but I can live with it. What really gets me is when the refs are ignoring everything but then proceed to call 2 of the softest penalties imaginable on the Oilers.
In the context of that game, Janmark getting 2 for roughing for bumping a guy shoulder to shoulder in a post-whistle scrum is egregious.
The NHL is 100% game managed refereeing to keep games close, create excitement and interest. It is pretty horrendous and there are few games that I myself say ok, ok good job. The problem for me is when it is SO obvious, yet they still let it go. ie. Mackinnon getting cross checked in the head the other night. ie. Byfield, penalty shot. I acknowledge that I am a biased fan of course BUT it is why I shut games off sometimes too. It is the worst thing for me about the NHL. It is a tough job but it is absolutely blatant.
This has been already proven and documented, which would only add evidence to a collective lawsuit against the NHL and the referees themselves. Make the NHL accountable and the referrers personally liable and I bet we get fair and equal refereeing
I don’t think the ref saw him put his hand on the puck and just didn’t call it.
As the ref was coming from right to left behind the net, I think Kuemper was blocking his line of sight when Byfield dove onto the puck. By the time he got past Kuemper he just saw Byfield laying face down in the crease. That’s how I see it playing out on this video:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/should-oilers-have-received-penalty-shot-after-byfields-hand-puck/
Plays like this are one of the reasons in favor of opening up penalties/non-calls to challenges. It doesn’t make sense to leave the adjudication of the fastest professional sport on the planet to the eyesight of middle-aged men on skates. Not sure how workable it is in practice, but its been done in other sports (NBA)
I don’t disagree at all. Yet there are 4 of them on the ice.
Yeah but think about where the officials are positioned in a 4 man system – one ref is in the corner of the attacking zone (the one we see coming around behind the net), the other is standing outside the blue line, and the linesman are just outside the blue line and between the other blue line/red line – how is one of those other 3 supposed to see Byfield put his hand on the puck?
Interestingly both Kuemper and Pickard had the near identical save percentage last night Pickard .955 Kuemper .956 so far for the series Kuemper 2W-3L .899sv. My man Pickard is at 3W-0L .904sv.
“One of the Oilers best players this series has been the LA coach” – Kurt Levins
Playing Kempe on D was bizarre almost to the point of waving a white flag.
Imagine making it to the show, working hard, doing what the coach says and then in the playoffs, the coach gives your ice time to a forward rather than play 2 of you in defense. It’s a tell. A massive tell. LA are petrified that the depth of the Oilers will destroy the their lower order.
What a sense of humor. Brilliant.
Klingberg holding the line and finding Kane in the high slot was astonishing. 99% of D stuff that puck in the corner.
It’s a play that you need a combination of skill/vision, confidence, and riverboat gambler to make – loved to see him take that risk as the PP was winding down to keep the pressure on after a good sequence in front of Kuemper
Are you still predicting L.A wins the series! If they can squeak out a win in Edmonton and then head home where they were dominant all year they still might do it for you.
It’s a strange, strange world we’re living in master Rega. LA still can’t be counted out, they could pull off a victory in Edmonton and have all the momentum at home for a game seven. I wouldn’t bet against Edmonton at home in game six with the series on the line though. Even last night’s game somehow appeared closer than it really should have been.
Nope, I think EDM gets it done in G6 at home. Not a fait accompli, but the Oilers have surpassed the expectations I had for them before the series. Like I said in my main post below, if they win I’ll never be happier about being wrong 🙂
Yup – likely only Bouch and Klingberg can make that play (although Walman has made some high IQ passes recently)…..
My one negative, both Oiler penalties were avoidable and bad plays by veteran players. Both made up for them, Janny scored the winner and Nurse was exceptional defending late.
While I’d agree, it was the sort of stuff that was going on all game.
The one Nurse tripping penalty on a 4th liner driving wide by himself was a bit frustrating just because it was a low-danger sortie and Nurse got careless with his stick.
It doesn’t diminish the solid work he did at other points in the game, but it was one of those unnecessary PPs you don’t want to gift the other team.
The push on Kane was dangerous and 10 times worse than Janmark but the Refs were never going to call it at that point of the game.
That first penalty against Nurse the LA player grabbed Nurse’s stick shoved it under his arm and fell down. That was an absolute joke of a call and that was how they got their only goal.
Who knew Klingberg just needed high stakes games to get back in the saddle. Both him and Walman have the speed and skill to push the envelope on offence they both can create and Coffey has given the green light.
Add in Kulak who also has good wheels, this is a fast defense. Not really big, but no dwarfs unless Stecher is in.
I think this is demonstrative of Walman’s effectiveness. Kling had been fairly bland or ineffective in his other games with the Oilers, and maybe Kling was working through the rust. But over this small sample size, Walman appears to be helping Kling elevate his play.
I’m very intrigued to continue to see this pair play, it has been excellent so far.
21-20 Total Goals EDM
11-11 5v5 Goals TIE
3-0 6v5 Goals EDM
1-0 4v4 Goals LAK
3-0 EN Goals EDM
8-4 PP Goals LAK
20-12 PP Opportunities LAK… as many have noted the Oilers have not been granted more PP opportunities in a game than the Kings once this series…
That the cross check by Clarke on Kane was not called was unbelievable. Then add in the obvious play by Byfield covering the puck in the crease – now that could be missed but man these guys are supposed to be good, and the ref was right behind the net with an unobstructed view. In real time watching on the TV it was pretty obvious.
So I was just explaining the closing the hand on the puck rule to a friend that doesn’t watch a lot of hockey and 5 min later that happens.
He was like isn’t that exactly the rule you just described.
You would think that
I’m genuinely curious – what is the implication here? That penalties should be even/close-to-even after 5 games because refs should manage the game so teams get roughly equal PP chances? Or that after a sample size of 5 games you expect the chances to even-out, and this deviation from that predicted outcome is indicative of some kind of bias on the part of the officials? Or just frustration that the PPs haven’t been equal without claiming some kind of bias? Or is there no implication and you’re just noting a fact?
I genuinely want to understand what the concern here (if any) is
When they blatantly pick and choose what to ignore and what to call, you’d think the refs would keep PP opportunities roughly even based on the severity of infractions.
As noted by Elgin above, there were no less than two egregious missed/non-calls last night. Darren Pang even said as much in real time last night on the TNT broadcast.
Absolutely. It’s ignoring or “failing to see” obvious penalties like the two mentioned above, or the slash on Janmark in G4.
I don’t erroneously believe that these were penalties due to my favour for the Oilers.
They were penalties.
Also, over the course of the series, there has been several penalties called on the Oilers that were marginal at best (e.g. McDavid hook on Edmundson, less than 2 minutes into G4) or blatantly incorrect (e.g. Kulak holding the stick, less than 2 minutes into G1)
The shattering of Browns stick last game was another blatent obvious missed call.
LA wouldn’t even argue these calls so why ignore it?
Okay, so is the criticism “call the rulebook, no more egregious missed calls even if one team gets way more powerplay opportunities than the other team” or “manage the game, and call egregious penalties except where it throws off the balance of PP opportunities”
Or something else?
Again, genuinely trying to understand what people want to see from the officials at a principled, not outcome-determinative, level lol
You’ve been listening to Louie too much. Every penalty on Edmonton is a good call while the no call on the push on Kane is justified by old time letting them play hockey. Your Kings are losing even with the aid of the Refs.
There could be some truth to the last sentence in your post. The same as it’s always been. It just doesn’t seem to matter though.
Nah Kane getting crosschecked through the net should’ve been a penalty
Just providing the numbers here. I want the rule book to be called. I don’t believe there is a conspiracy against the Oilers whatsoever. I do know the refs don’t call all the infractions on 97. I also know the refs don’t often call penalties against the trailing team in the third period of a playoff game. It has an impact on the result of the game.
Hello, Neumann…. Thanks! This all makes sense and I agree that a trailing team has to Bertuzzi or McSorely someone to get a penalty in the 3rd period, the biggest gripe I have is the inconsistency from shift to shift, period to period.
Even if refs wanted to “let em play”, I’d be more okay with it if that was the standard in Game 1, Period 1 through Game 7, Period 3; the issue is soft calls in the 1st get called while muggings get ignored in the 3rd.
Yep it’s a consistency thing. The gold standard in officiating is Rugby. Communication between the referee, touch judges, Television Match official and the captains of the teams is exceptional. The fans know exactly what is being called and are part of the conversation. It makes watching the game very enjoyable.
Yep totally agree – rugby players know exactly how the game is going to be called because the officials actually talk about it with the players.
I really don’t like the outsized power the officials’ unions have in north american pro sports, they’re really insulated from a lot of criticism/removal for poor performance
A few have noted (from Janmark to Bieksa to Hyman) that something changed between period 2 of game 4 until now. The team flipped a switch. I think they may have accidentally been given a secret key to this roster. In the past KK, like every coach before him overplays Leon and Mcdavid. It happened again in game 1 and 2, both losses.
Seeing the effect on all the Kings horses of too much reliance on stars seems to have reminded KK of the benefit of playing depth. When was the last time a 3rd then 4th line started such a critical game?
This approach sends a message to every player on the team that they are a necessary part to success. Even McDavid relaxed a little tonight. The whole team seemed to breathe. Perhaps this is the Pickard effect or the Kane effect as well but the depth came through tonight when the big guns were neutralized by a combination of LAs top defensive unit, many missed calls and some robbery by Kuemper.
Tonights recipe is repeatable. That is the best part and the most worrying for LA.
The biggest issue is a lot of these guys hadn’t played much before the playoffs. Or like at all. Took a while to get their legs back under
The pieces of the puzzle have come together in quick fashion.
Like I said before the game if the Refs call the same amount of penalties on both squads that we would gladly take that. The rolling of 4 lines was beautiful I’m still maintaining this is the best forward group since the 80’s.
Makes ya kinda feel sorry for LA
No – No it doesn’t
It just reminds me of ’98-’01 when we lost to the Stars 4 years in a row. The feeling was just that it was inevitable – hoping the Kings feel that way!
Absolutely brutal day to be a hater.
Spectacular game start to finish. LA had no answers, harmonicas be damned.
The Americans had to sing their own national anthem.
I’ve been watching hockey for a long time, I’m not sure what the reason for such a dramatic shift in the series.
I knew Edmonton had a lot of room to improve, and as I posted earlier in the week, the Oilers will make adjustments that force LA to step outside their system as the series went along, but the timing of how doormat to dominance switched during the 2nd intermission of game 3 is baffling. Perhaps overplaying their stars compounded with KK adjustments
McDavid was even smiling. Crazy times.
Is Knoblauch out coaching Hiller? Or does Edmonton just have superior depth & talent.
— not quite as dramatic as the results of campaign: but in the history of democracy no party has had such a reversal in such a short period of time according to the Economist.
What a fantastic game! I felt like this was the team that the coach and management envisioned when they decided to go with mature professionals over young but unproven speedsters. It took some time but, last night, everything was coming up aces. Smart plays from every player. Determined efforts all over the ice. Zero panic.
The overwhelming and suffocating offence was great but the attention to detail in the neutral zone and defensive zone was so beautiful it brought a tear to this long time fans eye.
Not gonna lie. I have waited two forevers to see this game from our team. To finally witness it is stunning and magical.
It’s got me dreaming, I tell ya.
It seems like Drai is only at 70-80% right now. Don’t think that’s a 1 goal game if he’s fully healthy!
I’m wondering too. A couple of flubbed shots that he usually aces.
I think there may be a shoulder issue of sorts.
He’s stretched it out a few times and I noticed he wasn’t taking the draw a few times earlier in the series.
Doesn’t help that the Kings chosen defensive strategy against Draisaitl is tackling him. Saw that at least three times last night.
I have watched Janmarks goal a few times as I didn’t get to watch it live. Made me like Arvy finally. Took a loooong time. He was hopping up and down like a little kid in a candy store when Janmark scored. Love to see that genuine joy!
Agreed 100%. If he could stay on his feet/off his ass more often he’d be an all-star, but he had a very solid game
Arvy’s shot was by design off Kuemper’s pads right to Janmark and he actually deposited it into the net. Very exciting for Arvidsson, all things considered.
A bad rebound by Kuemper but credit Arvy – he put that shot in a place where there was a chance the goalie would lay the rebound out there.
Absolute domination. It’s the best this team has played from start to finish, definitely since the 4 Nations, and possibly the whole season.
The Kings team looks like they’re now resigned to their fate.
Amazing, complete team performance. Now keep it up, get Ekholm healthy, and ride that wave to the finish line.
I cannot remember the last time I was all sunshine and roses.
Shouts out to Pickard who made some nice saves 3W only 13W to go. I see this journeyman netminder at 33 gaining more and more momentum. From almost washed out of the N.H.L to nothing more than a back-up to the back-up never giving up on himself handling his job as 2nd fiddle with true profession. I thought no way the athletic style Pickard would be nothing more than a low rent back-up. He’s proved me wrong I jumped on the Pickard wagon early there’s still lots of room but it’s filling up with every low key W.
Crazy story. He is humming well now. The team has responded.
I prefer the athletic fighter style than the slow lag of a semi athletic puck blocker who doesn’t track the puck well. I know that is beyond harsh but that is this season.
Last night’s version of Kuemper or Keumper in general is what I hope Skinner can someday be, I don’t see that right now.
Pickard deserves the net and has for a long while especially after they did squat at the deadline.
Picks has performed better game over game:
1) I remain of the opinion that he was not good in the first game. Stoppable pucks went in and he leaked an awful goal at a horrible time – his teammates bailed him out.
2) Much better in his second game. At least one, if not two, weak goals, but some solid saves a a part of the win.
3) Very good last night- no realistic chance on the goal that was scored, a big save on a breakaway by a high end goal scorer on a heater and he was able to stay sharp despite not much action.
Great job Cal!
Get Rhythm!
One of the most complete efforts in a hockey game I have seen by the oil. Just excellence for the most part. Sustained control, both in effort, discipline and warfare of the mind. If they continue to ride this type of hockey this team will be impossible to beat. Coming in waves, everyone involved, that is the way. We wait.
I think Frederick is slowwwwly coming. Takes a bit after that injury, looked a little better out there. Health is a thing.
Yep, the biggest difference was the ability to roll 4 lines that could tilt the ice in the right direction. In the past, my concern with playing 97-29 together was that the remaining lines could get passive, just trying to tread water until one of the big guys scored to take a lead. But last night, every line was going out there with the intent to score goals, not just hold down the fort until 97 or 29 could put the game away.
Felt like an integrated, focused, cohesive unit for the first time in months
Bieksa postgame: Something happened in the 2nd intermission last game. This team looks dangerous now.
It’s taken all season and 3 games and 2 periods to get dangerous.
Strudwick, postgame: All four lines have a heavy, a smart centre, someone who can score.
Staples, earlier this series: On paper this is a very good lineup.
Last night: It all came together. I’ve waited since June 2024 to see this.
Good comments. The lines seem more balanced as health comes now. Frederick is getting there and he will get better. I hope they resign him. Some kind of switch got flipped thats for sure. I believe E Kane’s play and Pickard’s play have been tremendous catalysts for that.
I know that 97 and 29 played on the same line but last night’s game was the Grace Kelly balance photo.
Putting Perry with McDavid & Draisaitl allows better balance on all four lines. While it appeared all three defense pairs can play in multiple different combinations, so they really have six pairs or more. Astonishing.
— predicting what type of execution from game to game this team actually does reminds me of a call that I had this morning with a client: client needs to move some money from USD to CAD in the next 30 days, a 7 figure amount.
— a month ago we converted 50% to CAD but didn’t feel comfortable doing it all on one day.
— Now the exchange rate is falling and it is a material dollar amount consideration:
— He asked me “what do you think in the next month”. I gave him some reasons why USD might climb: deals announced reduction of tarrifs etc.
— I told him “anything could happen and anyone who knows for certainty what’s going to happen in the next 30 days is lying”. Client gets way more interest in USD$ as well which is a consideration .
— That’s the Oilers : really we have no clue as there are too many uncertainties : get excited too much when they win get too glum when they lose
— A month from now I’m pretty certain they aren’t hoisting the Cup but I’d be lying if I said I knew.
PS – converted half the remaining today : hoping exchange rate better in a month (like the Oil)
I feel like Kane at full health offers what Ekholm
did when he came in to this group. A guy that makes everyone better, playing about 2 inches taller, and also pushing everyone down into a just right slot. Suddenly Arvidsson and Podkolzin are an amazing fourth line with Janny. 3rd line of Henrique, Frederic and Brown has been so close it seems just a matter of time. Everything seems to have fallen magically into place.
it also makes a difference the belief the team has in the guy in net. They don’t need anyone other than Drai and Mcdavid to work miracles, just to do their job.
if this run continues they may need to go to Skinner at some point and it will be interesting to see his response. But for now, this is Cals team and EK!
Oui
Factually correct and but even a bit of exaggeration – I’m thrilled.
Keumper was unreal. It wasn’t a close game. He is the enemy right now but damn that was a fine tending performance.
PS Pickard with another W – the most important stat. Shhhhh
100%, his lateral movement and positioning was great last night. It felt like he would stop anything he could see clearly + didn’t have to fight through traffic to stop. Not surprised the two goals he allowed (a) followed a scuffle in front where he was bumped/dropped his stick and (b) was on a rebound.
Recipe for success in G6 is more of the same
Def solid. Even the squeaker with Kempe.
Kempe is a damn good player and stopped on a breakaway.
I mean to say NOT even a bit of an exaggeration!
Great quote post-game from Kane along the lines of the OT reminded them of how they can play.
Love that! Pressure is a catalyst and will show your true nature. It can crush you but it also produces diamonds!
So when people say Kings have depth, they mean they have players like Kempe who can play D?
Lol. I was thinking the same thing. It’s been clear all series that we have more depth, just based on the minutes being played
I know Jim Hiller is getting flamed a bit this series (and rightfully so, that game losing challenge was baffling), but honestly I liked this decision even if it didn’t pan out.
You’re down a goal, you haven’t been able to get a lot of sustained offensive pressure, and it’s too soon to pull the goalie. It’s risky but you don’t win games by playing it safe.
Honestly, I’d hope the Oilers do something similar if they were ever down a goal with 10-5 minutes to go, I just don’t know who their “Kempe” would be …
Wonder what their team thinks when their coach is trying something they haven’t seen before, in a situation like that? “Our coach is a genius”? or “We are so cooked”?
It reeked of “desperation”, imo.
So I certainly don’t think the playoffs is the optimal time to try something you haven’t done all year – it’s the same reason why I thought it wasn’t ideal the Oilers were putting McDavid out there to kill penalties for the first time all year earlier in the series, even though I’ve wanted the Oilers to work 97 and 29 into the penalty kill mix all year. Do you think that move reeked of desperation? The oilers PK was certainly struggling and they needed a fix, and I was okay trying something new even though I wish KK would’ve gotten 97 and 29 some PK time in the regular season.
I don’t know what the team would think, but honestly I feel like you would already be feeling desperation/urgency to score a goal when you’re down 1 with 5-10 minutes left in a 2-2 series, and I’m sure the players are so focused/in the moment they aren’t going to stop and think about it too much – they’re probably just laser focused on “let’s get a goal”
In isolation it’s an interesting idea but it doesn’t work because it took away their top line. Kuzmenko, Kopitar and Kempe is their most dangerous line. I know Kempe plays the point on the PP but it is completely different playing with a D partner at 5v5. If anything throw Byfield or Fiala on the point. But in reality last 10min of the 3rd is not the time to experiment.
It took their top line of the ice for that shift and at least the next one. What a gift!
I’d have to go back and see what lines were actually out there but I’m pretty sure Kempe was being double-shifted, not just turned into a defenseman for the end of the 3rd period. I don’t think they kept Kuzmenko/Kopitar off the ice the last 10 minutes of the game because of what Hiller was doing with Kempe
Our Kempe is Bouchard. The Kings don’t have a Bouchard. Or even a Walman or Klingberg.
Yeah I don’t disagree, and I think the Kings lack of a Bouchard is why they tried out Kempe
I thought the Kings Bouchard 2.0 was supposed to be Clarke.
Maybe Kuemper playing so well was a good thing it kept our foot on the gas pedal. This was the complete game we needed to get this team loosening up and having fun. A productive worker is always a happy worker.
Doug Weight signs in Carolina.
Taylor Hall signed a three-year, $9.5 million contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. The deal, which starts next season, has an average annual value of $3.17 million.
https://www.nhl.com/news/taylor-hall-signs-3-year-contract-with-carolina-hurricanes
Tyler Dellow gets his man.
Hallsy deserves to play on a competitive team.
I would have never imagined that from 2016 until 2025 that he will have have played for seven(!) different teams.
Maybe one year too long, but I think that’s good value for the Canes if he can stay relatively healthy (60+ games in the regular season + healthy in the playoffs).
I’ll always appreciate the player for keeping the light on during some dark, dark years in Edmonton. I don’t think he was a good fit for being a leader in the locker room or a tone-setter that early in his career, but he’s matured and really carved out a solid career. Hope he wins a cup (just not this year)
1)
Agreed 100%. It was “complete” in every possible way – consistent 60 minute effort start to finish, every player on the roster fully engaged and playing smart (for the most part, looking at you Darnell), tough, hockey. The resiliency of this group is what’s most impressive. Lesser teams, or pre-2023-24 Oilers squads, would likely get discouraged after the 1-0 goal after failing to beat Kuemper but they kept playing the game they knew would be successful.
2) The Oilers continue to display (what I think is) abnormal variance it outcomes for contenders. They have looked like a team that has no business being in the playoffs, and a team that should go 16-0 within the same series, sometimes within the same game. If they can find a way to repeat last night’s effort throughout the rest of the playoffs, holy crap is this team a wagon.
3) What’s honestly most encouraging is that the Oilers won last night without needing a goal from, or directly caused by, one of 97 and 29. If this roster can win games where those two are kept off the score sheet (I know they got assists on the ENG but you know what I mean), this team can go a long way.
4) I was dead wrong in my prediction/expectation of what Kane would look like this series. Coming off of multiple surgeries, in a year where turned 33 and encountered multiple injury setbacks, I was going to be happy with him being a solid depth winger who could punish defenders on the forecheck, give the team some sandpaper, and maybe chip in a goal once a series. But wow, he has been a revelation, doing all that and playing like a top 6 winger. 91-93-18 have established themselves as a bona fide 2L that can outchance/outscore/outwork the opposition at 5v5 when 97 and 29 are loaded up, and that is HUGE.
5) The old and slows are making me eat crow this morning as they played an inspired, suffocating game. The relentless pressure on the backcheck, sticks in every lane and immediately sending every puck that wasn’t a tape-to-tape bullet back the other way while threatening to score. Just eating pucks in the last few minutes like Shawn Horcoff against the wings in 2006.
6) The *M*A*S*H* brigade is also rounding into form – Klingberg’s play on the 1-1 goal showed his ability to take risks, keep the play alive, and find openings, Frederic is still not quite up to 100% speed but looked miles better than he did in his first game and made some responsible plays with the puck in his own end, and had a good look on a 2-on-1.
7) The Oilers need to close out G6 in Edmonton. I don’t think any Stanley winner the past 10 years has gone 7 games in the first round (maybe even longer), and this team would sorely benefit from a couple of extra days rest. I’m hopeful that the Oilers’ experience last year has imbued them with the killer instinct to close out the series on the first try and to not let the Kings back up off the mat.
8) I’ve always liked Stuart Skinner and never thought Pickard brought enough to the table to provide marginally above average post-season goaltending, but color me impressed. It’s not always pretty but Pickard makes saves in the big moments and you can see how that keeps feeds the energy of the rest of the team.
9) I predicted the Kings to win in 7 – I’ll never be happier about being wrong in my life if the Oilers move on to R2.
10) I still have concerns with the team and issues with KK’s deployment, but today’s a day to smell the roses and enjoy what we all got to watch last night – during the depths of the decade of darkness, I never thought I’d see a team in Oilers uniforms play a game of hockey as good as they played last night.
11) 3 down, 13 to go. LFG!!!!
What a game last night. And to see the numbers this morning is very encouraging, especially the line with Kane-RNH-Hyman. They felt like they were dominating their time, but its good to see the numbers back that up. I was also very impressed with Podkolzin’s north-south game too, even though I don’t think he is a great stylistic fit with Janmark and Arvidsson.
I wish there were a way to shoehorn J Skinner onto this roster, but at the moment you can’t change a thing for game 6. Here’s hoping they close it out.
Yeah as much as I like J Skinner and I’ve been pounding the drum for him all year, it’s going to be hard for him to crack the roster if the team plays like they did last night. The oilers worst forwards (IMO) were maybe Brown and Henrique, but it’s not like they played poorly.
91-93-18 have been playing like a bona fide second line that can eat the lunch of the other side’s second-best opposition when 97-29 are loaded up together, and that’s huge.