In a game that mirrored the flow of Sunday’s fourth contest, the Kings outshot the Oilers 10-5 in the opening period but fell behind early. Evander Kane’s backhand shot slipped past David Rittich’s glove with 9:43 remaining on the clock, giving Edmonton the lead. However, the Kings responded swiftly, with Alex Laferriere capitalizing on a peculiar puck bounce off the glass and past a scrambling Stuart Skinner with just 28 seconds left in the frame, leveling the score at 1-1 and ending Skinner’s streak of 114 shutout minutes.
The Kings seized the advantage 3:08 into the second period when Blake Lizotte found space on the right wing and fired a shot past Skinner’s blocker. But the Oilers’ power play came to the forefront, with Leon Draisaitl tying the game on a one-timer that Rittich initially appeared to snare but was later confirmed to have crossed the line after video review. Just seconds after a Kings penalty expired, Draisaitl struck again, flicking in a centering pass from Connor McDavid to give Edmonton a 3-2 lead. Zach Hyman extended the Oilers’ lead to 4-2 with less than a minute remaining in the second, capitalizing on a loose puck in the crease.
The Kings mounted a late charge in the third period, with Adrian Kempe deflecting a shot past Skinner with 2:18 remaining to pull within one goal. Despite pulling Rittich for an extra attacker, the Kings couldn’t find the equalizer, and the Oilers held on for the victory.
Evan Bouchard played a pivotal role for Edmonton, registering three assists. The Oilers now advance to the second round, where they will face either the Nashville Predators or the Vancouver Canucks.
