Oilers fans are disappointed in this version of the team after a crushing trip to California. Not since the Donner Party has a caravan endured a tougher road on the left coast. I begin this day with one primary thought on these Oilers: They are at the edge of night without showing the Los Angeles Kings what they can bring to a hockey game.
If one is going to lose a playoff series, the least one can do is be present in said playoff series. I think we’ll see a much stronger effort tonight. The question is, will it be enough?
CROSSROADS
There are times when multiple forces converge in a single moment and create a pressure point, for people and for organizations. I remember walking around on the morning of Game 7 in 1987 and contemplating what changes might be made if that Oilers team (which remains my favourite) failed against the Philadelphia Flyers.
I have a similar feeling now, this morning. I doubt any of the individuals involved is thinking about professional extinction, but this organization has a new general manager (Stan Bowman) who isn’t attached to most of the roster.
In fact, with the exception of the team’s heart and soul (Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Mattias Ekholm, Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse), none of the men who began this journey in October should assume they will be part of the fall roster. It’s even possible some of the names I’ve listed above will be in new NHL cities come the fall.
That’s getting ahead of ourselves, of course.
We have talked all year about the Oilers having the lowest floor of any Stanley Cup contender in memory. They are truly unique in my experience. It’s baffling to watch a team with soaring top end attached to a hopeless contraption at the other.
In musical terms, the best of this team is representing by the stunning Janis Joplin vocal on “Piece of My Heart” which I count as one of the best performances I’ve ever heard. Meanwhile, in the background, Big Brother and the Holding Company can barely get through the song. I have no idea why they didn’t dub in some session musicians playing more appropriately behind the goddess that was Joplin on that record.
Any road, we are here today. Down 2-0 and no rhythm section to drive the band.
Oilers management needs to have a long look at this roster over the summer. Why do the highest highs and the lowest lows exist on the same team? In the meantime, the Oilers will hit the ice tonight at Rogers Place, with the faithful waiting for this version of the Oilers to take another piece of their heart. Now. Baby.
At noon today, Sports 1440, the Lowdown hits and we’re going to let everything out in one primal scream. Steve Lansky will be there, Tyler Yaremchuk too. We’ll talk wall to wall Oilers, with some NFL draft thrown in and Declan Krueger’s Declanations for good measure. 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.
The key to victory for the Edmonton Oilers may come in proper deployment of lines/pairings and hard matching in order to find clean air on the McDavid Speedway
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6304790/2025/04/25/oilers-kings-series-stats-matchups/
https://youtu.be/MJbPEibct14?feature=shared
TACKLIN FUEL BABY
#Never in doubt
I feel like I’ve been holding my breath for 5 straight days.
My ass muscles need a holiday
Wonder why Emberson had the least ice time (9:06) and even more puzzlingly, why two 2men had more PK time than him? Emberson excelled on the PK in the reg season. I thought he and Walman were the presumptive 1st unit PK d pair.
If memory serves I saw Bouch-Nurse and Walman-Nurse out there for the two PP goals against tonight.
They need to somehow limit the odd man rushes against at 5v5. Seeing too many of those.
Kings 4th line ranged between 2-4 minutes in that game and their 6D Spence only played 2:55. Oilers 4th line were all above 10 minutes.
Kane costing the Oilers by taking the penalty that leads to the PP goal and then redeeming himself with a hard play at the net and a key goal. Welcome back Kaner.
Nice win by the Oil tonight.
I keep waiting for I Got You Babe to start playing before the game starts…
Tonight’s game answered the question that nobody ever asked: What happens when you mix a Hockey Game with a Shitfight.
it took pond hockey out behind the shed and kicked the stuffing out of it.
Bizarre plays, weird calls, too much yapping at the refs. Hyman auditioning for Super Dave.
Watched a King score a Plink goal like we used to pull off on the old SNES hockey game where we’d play the 3 little guys against the 3 big guys and you’d pass the puck into the net.
Wonder what would happen if both teams would just pull their goalies and play 6 aside.
We have the two best players in the world and the game degenerates into Bizarro World.
Kempe -3
Kopitar -4
Kuzmenko -4
Byfield -2
FIala -2
Warms the heart.
What a difference Kane makes. A big guy who cannot be intimidated and who revels in the physical game.
He’s a warrior and he’s exactly what we have been missing all year.
When we win this series, we’re gonna look back at Kaner being a physically dominant player who la has no answer for.
We’ve had so many players injured all season that, having a guy like Kaner coming in and dominating really changes how any team can execute against us. There is no game plan for a menace like Kane.
Curious… anyone run the stats on pps? It sure feels like oil have always have very few except when we play another canadian club…
Probably my bias. Couldnt even get a call for the “mandatory” type like the high stick. Althought thank you hiller for the most bizzar challenge ive seen. I get the thought. But was a gift.
Hiller probably figure the league would make the call for goalie interference on Kanes goal.
Excellent finish. Nice to see Kane, Nuge, and Hyman contribute in addition to some bottom 6 action and PP success.
The PK needs a complete overhaul, right now. Kind of like a Costanza opposite approach. It can’t be any worse than it is now.
My apolgies all.
My son had his lucky drai jersey he wore last years run.. too small for him now.
His younger sister put it on tonight when it was 4-3… ill try and be more dilligent because that was a beautiful finish!
That was the worst goaltender challenge at a critical time I’ve ever seen. If that stupidity cost them the series Hiller should be fired.
Absolutely mind boggling. Thank you very much Jim.
The outcome was so blatantly obvious, it was truly a poor decision. But honestly, it looked like he expected to win the review… as if he thought the officials were “on his side”. But then imo it was not a great night for the Oil getting calls, just more poor officiating.
Great to see Kane back. Goal and an assist and a physical menace. Welcome back EK!!!!!!!
Kane looking for one last 3 year contract after getting traded in the off season. He had a great game and the weasel refs are targeting him for penalties that only he receives for doing the same shit Mikey and Doughty are continuously doing.
I would like to know if anyone has analyzed treatment of minorities by refs in the NHL. Seriously
These refs are Kids all they know of Kane is his reputation of being a meanie.
It was crunch time and we showed up!!!
We’re not done, bitches, and were showed up when it mattered most!!!
Confidence is real and we’re coming for you, la!!!
Oilers in six!!!
#neverindoubt
Never in doubt.
holy festivus. my heart.
That’s the Bouchard you pay for.
Mock Pickard all you want but he gets the W’s. Pickard faced some tough shots tonight and hung in there.
Well he also got major run support. You don’t win a lot of games giving up 4. Almost seems like the team plays harder for Pick???
They’d be up 2-1 allowing 4.
Unfortunately, we’ll never know if Skinner would have had a shutout or given up 10.
We keep hearing well what do you expect on Skinner supposed value contract deal when Pickard is the better goalie this year making 40% what Skinner is. You couldn’t give Skinner away for free this summer it’ll cost a seeetner.
We were given a gift the 1st game if Skinner makes a pee wee save we win in OT and it goes down as a miracle on Manchester. Connor-Leon and the team were denied glory we probably sweep them. Of course they play harder for Pickard he makes the saves that gets W’s
That was a Fuhr game 100%. He didnt give up the backbreaker. Thankfully the Oilers backbreaker is higher than the average team.
Packard IMHO is a very poor man’s Fuhr… he let’s some in you hope me might otherwise have, but makes saves when it counts, whereas Skinner i almost feel makes amazing saves when they don’t matter but becomes a sieve when it counts the most and just deflates everything.
I agree. If I am being honest, though, all 4 of the goals were saveable. Yes top corner x 2 on the PP but he was down so low it made it easy to target, a screened shot you fight through, and the backbreaking 4th goal was inexcusable. Even if we’re being generous you should stop 2 of those 4
Thank you Jim Hiller for ensuring a second power play because the refs surely weren’t going to call one against you on their own accord. Probably said to him “sorry Jim our hands were tied, it would have been too obvious to not call a pp there”
💯
It wasn’t pretty but it’s the needed win to get off the schneid and onto a winning streak.
Jack and Jill up a hill, Mary and her Lambs eating jam, Mother Goose busting loose, Oilers in six.
We got a save.
Granted, Skinner made saves. I guess ‘we got a save when it mattered’ would be more accurate
Hey K*ngs. You remember this feeling, don’t you? Get used to it.
#PlayLaBambaBaby
Oilers win and Jack still focuses on LA.
Maybe he should change his X handle to ‘@LAJack”.
Or lick the other teams sack Jack.
He’s definitely an Oilers fan. They said the same thing about Singh and he grew up an Oilers fan. I get it, but they have to call the game as it is, and there are a lot of Kings playing well right now (spits)
1 down 3 to go. Lots of players stepped up, but what a game from Bouchard.
33 and 92 with yeoman work out there
Big W from Cal.
Why do the kings get so much space and time above the hash marks? Oiler Wingers are MIA in D zone and rarely block the shot
The system doesn’t cover the points. It has been their most glaring defensive flaw the last couple years.
It also hurts their attack, because the fast break has 15-20 more feet of track to cover.
BOOM!!! Brown with more gravy!!! Great defence!!!
Will give Pickard and Nurse credit on that shift
Pickard saved his game 4 start in the last 2-4 minutes.
I was leaning towards going back to Stu…..
Up your ass Kings!
That’s one.
Pickard … just wins
Don Cherry “Hey kids, watch this” play by Hyman there.
I loved that it was Doughty he steamrolled.
If McDavid wasn’t in a malaise, he’d have 30pts by now.
Nice work by Hyman on the EN assist.
Let’s get one more, just to be sure. 🚨
CALLED IT 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
BOOM!!! Mcdavid with the gravy!!! Finally!!!
Sweet Baby Jesus an empty net goal to cinch the game. What a play by Hyman!
Looking good!
Why didn’t nurse just clear that glass and out. Instead he turned it over easily
#neverindoubt
That was McDavids best backcheck all night
Absolutely
They also blew their TO to give them time to decide to make that horrible challenge to give the Oilers the PP to score the go-ahead goal.
That was some bizarre decision making by LA……
20%-25% chance (about EDM chance on power play) is about enough to justify challenge. There was contact in blue paint and it’s Kane + Oilers. It wasn’t a terrible idea to me even if it was a reach and review made right call.
I would be so mad if KK made that call. There was nothing there.
Are the whistles staying away or are we in another arbitrary game state now? It’d be cool if they posted something like best-estimate-of-game-state below the score. Oilers still <= 3 PPOs again.
Leon’s a hockey genius.
And he’s signed! Lol
Great zone entry. Unreal pass. And the finish!
Jim Hiller’s TERRIBLE challenge may have changed the fortunes of his hockey team’s season.
Not sure I can watch the last 6 minutes..