If this is indeed the first-round series we get, what a series it will be. For the second time in under a week, the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings engaged in a low-scoring, physical game that had the feeling of a playoff contest. For the second straight time, it was the Oilers walking away with a victory, as they were able to down their division rival 3-1 for two massive points.
With these two most recent wins, the Oilers’ record against the Kings this season draws even at two apiece. Suffice it to say, if they do indeed meet up in the playoffs, it could very well be a series that like last year goes the full seven games. With that said, here are the three main takeaways from Tuesday night’s big win.
Strong Goaltending Continues
Heading into Tuesday, the Oilers were feeling very confident between the pipes as they had recorded two straight shutouts. It looked like they may very well be headed for their third straight until Viktor Arvidsson beat a screened Stuart Skinner halfway through the final period. With that goal, their shutout streak ended at 171:58, which serves as the third longest in franchise history.
After a bit of a lull in his play, Skinner has been fantastic in each of his past two starts. With just one goal allowed on 21 shots on Tuesday, he has now kicked aside 62 of the last 63 pucks fired his way. While the playoffs are a different animal, Oilers fans should be feeling very confident in him as that time of year nears.
Special Teams Come Up Big
It is no secret that the Oilers’ bread and butter is their power play. They have been fantastic in that regard for a number of seasons now, and Tuesday night was no different, as they were able to convert on two of their four opportunities.
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Ryan Nugent-Hopkins put the Oilers up 1-0 in the second frame on the man advantage, while Leon Draisaitl was able to tuck home their second of the night in the third. Their power play now sits at a ridiculous 32.4 percent on the season, which is nearly seven percent higher than the league’s second-best in the Toronto Maple Leafs.
While their penalty kill (PK) hasn’t been nearly as impressive on the season, it was perfect in this one, killing off both of the infractions they took. What made this all the more noteworthy was that it came against a Kings team who has the fourth-ranked power play in the NHL. If the PK unit is able to keep this up going into the playoffs, this team may very well be unstoppable.
Draisaitl On a Tear
While he has been his usual dominant offensive self all season long, Draisaitl has really been heating up as of late. In this outing, he had himself a goal and two assists, which gives him a ridiculous 15 goals and 34 points over his past 17 games. Those numbers translate to an unfathomable 72 goals and 164 points over an 82-game pace.
With the big showing in this one, Draisaitl improved his season totals to 51 goals and 123 points. He now sits just four goals shy of his career-best 55 set a season ago. Both that and 130 points are within reach if he is able to finish strong over the Oilers’ final four games of the 2022-23 campaign.
Looking Ahead for the Oilers
With this win, the Oilers have moved ahead of the Kings by a single point to sit second in the Pacific Division. This is big news for a number of reasons. First, it puts them in a good position to have home-ice advantage if they do indeed play the Kings in the opening round. Second, it keeps them within striking distance of the first-place Vegas Golden Knights, who now have just three more points than the Oilers. All three have four games remaining on the season, meaning this race may very well come right down to the wire.
