Another trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs and another chance for the Los Angeles Kings to exact revenge against the Edmonton Oilers.
As the Kings hit the road to open their Western Conference playoff series with Edmonton on Monday, the third consecutive year the clubs have met in the first round, it is with the reminder of how the Oilers have dispatched them in each of the past two seasons.
“There’s definitely going to be a lot of lessons learned,” Los Angeles forward Quinton Byfield said. “We had a younger group coming in a couple of years ago … and I know a lot of guys in that room have got a lot more playoff experience. We know they’re a really good team. They have some star players, so it’s going to be a hard series, but hopefully it’s our time.”
Edmonton overcame a horrible start to the season before rocketing up the standings and finishing second in the Pacific Division. The Kings capped a 6-2-0 run to finish the regular season with a 5-4 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks to clinch the third spot in the division.
As was the case during the previous two postseason meetings, this series will be a study of Los Angeles and its ability to defend Edmonton’s high-octane attack.
“We can talk about individual players on our side and their side. It’s going to take us as a collective, we know that,” Kings interim coach Jim Hiller said. “I really like where we are as a collective. We’re healthy. I think we’re confident and we’re excited. I think you’re going to see a passionate hockey team.”
The Oilers won three of four meetings with Los Angeles during the regular season.
As much as Edmonton can be lauded for being one of the league’s best teams for a lengthy stretch after winning only twice in its first dozen games, the Oilers somewhat limped into the playoffs. They finished the campaign with only one victory in their final five games (1-3-1).
Curiously, the Oilers have dropped Game 1 in seven consecutive playoff series, including the two series against the Kings.
“We’d love to have a great Game 1. It’s something that’s been a struggle of our group for whatever reason,” Edmonton captain Connor McDavid said. “I wish I could pinpoint what it was, but we’ve played well in Game 1s and just not got it done. I thought last year, we played a really good game against L.A. and just lost in overtime.”
But the Oilers have bigger goals than just the first game. Hopes are high that they are en route to their first championship since 1990.
Edmonton fell in the Western Conference finals in 2022 before stumbling in the second round last year.
“I think we’ve matured a lot over the last couple of years and matured a lot this year, too,” Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said. “Two years ago, there were a lot more individual mistakes made than there will be this year. We’re a mature group, we know how to play this team, we know what it takes.”
–Field Level Media
