EDMONTON — There is a school of thought that says, “Please, Lord, don’t give us another Oilers-Kings first-round series this spring.”
Then you watch Los Angeles and Edmonton play each other, and you wonder: If the hockey is going to be that good on a Monday night in January, maybe that’s exactly what we should be hoping for come April.
“It was very much a playoff game, where two teams just went at it and played really solid,” said Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner, absolutely marvellous in a high-event 1-0 win over the Kings.
“They know how to play us as well as we know how to play them. That is what makes it so much fun and so exciting.”
Edmonton (.786 points percentage) and L.A. (.737) are two of the best three teams in the NHL since Nov. 27, sandwiching Vegas at .738. That’s about six-and-half weeks where the top of the Pacific Division has ruled the NHL’s roost.
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On Monday, Edmonton avenged a 4-3 overtime loss in L.A. on Dec. 28, beating a Kings team that haven’t won many (3-12-1) at Rogers Place over the last nine regular seasons. Then there’s the playoffs, where the Oilers have eliminated the Kings in Round 1 for three years running: in seven, then six, then five games last spring.
All in, over the last three-plus seasons they’ve met a whopping 32 times, with Edmonton going 21-10-1. The games are close, but the same team tends to come out on top.
“It’s always that way with L.A., that kind of grinding, low-scoring, low-event hockey,” said Connor McDavid, who snapped home a rebound for the game’s only goal, his 17th of the season on his 28th birthday. “We know how to play these games with them.
“I thought we maybe beat them at their own game today. Just playing patient, finding a way to get one, and holding on for a win.”
There was a period when the Kings were unbearable to watch, with their 1-3-1 system that forbade forechecking, chance-taking, and the production of any discernible form of entertaining hockey.
But at least it didn’t last long. Only about 20 years.
Today, the Kings have tweaked their system just enough to add some offence, yet have become the NHL’s stingiest in goals-against per game (2.45) and shots-against per game (24.8).
The Oilers weren’t sold on the “New and Improved Kings” angle, however.
“You always have to be patient with them. They’re a good team; they defend well. They were very patient, so you have to be patient as well,” said Leon Draisaitl, who created the game’s only goal when he out-raced then out-battled Trevor Moore for a puck, fed Darnell Nurse, whose rebound fell to McDavid’s stick.
“Their system in the neutral zone has changed a little bit,” allowed Draisaitl. “But it’s just two good teams going at it, two teams that know each other really well. You’re going to get games like that.”
This one began with the biggest save of the night at the five minute mark — we just didn’t know it at the time.
Skinner came across his crease to get his cheater on Adrian Kempe’s shot, on a Kings’ two-on-one that had game-opening goal written all over it — before Skinner’s larceny brought the crowd to its feet.
“It was an amazing pass by (Anze) Kopitar and then Kempe got a good shot. I just went into a spread and did everything that I could,” Skinner said. “It was kind of an out-of-the-box save, obviously. I got enough for it to go above the net, thank goodness. It was a really good save and just what we needed.”
For a tired Oilers team that has been hop-scotching the hockey map of late, Skinner’s 31-save shutout was precisely what was required. He was their best player by far on a night when it was predictable that the Oilers wouldn’t have their legs early.
Coming into the game, Skinner’s numbers in games following a loss were incredible: an 8-0 record, a 1.75 goals against average and a .938 saves percentage. All those numbers are just a little bit better this morning.
“I’ve gone through a lot of experiences that have helped me get more resilient as the years go on,” he said. “After games like that (losses), you always want to come back and really bring it and show the guys that you can bounce back.”
This one turned when McDavid took a clean but healthy run at Kings winger Alex Laferriere, who took exception to the hit and wrestled McDavid to the ice. Kasperi Kapanen came to McDavid’s aid and evened the penalties, but the ensuing four-on-four was advantage Edmonton, who loaded up with McDavid and Draisaitl to produce the game’s only goal.
“We never practice four-on-four. A lot of it is just instinct, a lot is just playing together for so long,” said McDavid, who marvelled at the game that Draisaitl is rolling out these days, with points in 17 of 18 games. “He’s playing as good as I’ve ever seen. Really dug in on both sides of the rink. Scoring goals, making plays, winning draws. Doing lots.”
And Kings coach Jim Hiller?
Yeah, he wasn’t so fond of that four-on-four — or the retaliation by Laferriere.
“The game was good. A couple bad pinches and one really poor penalty by Laferriere,” he said. “It was a really bad penalty even though it got evened up. That was probably the moment in the game I liked the least. But other than that, we played hard.”
Laferriere saw the ice for only three seconds after that second period penalty. The three seconds it took him to skate from the penalty box to the Kings’ bench.
Any comment, coach Hiller?
“Nope, nothing to share.”
