In Los Angeles, the Edmonton Oilers experienced a setback, though it wasn’t a complete disaster. However, it may be in their best interest to put Saturday’s game behind them and focus on their upcoming match on Tuesday. Virtually every aspect of their game faltered during the 4-0 defeat to the Los Angeles Kings, marking the end of a three-game trip with two losses.
As winger Zach Hyman aptly put it, the Kings simply outplayed them. However, there’s much more to dissect from this disappointing performance.
The penalty kill, which had already conceded two goals against the Anaheim Ducks the night before, faltered again when Pierre-Luc Dubois scored just 2:38 into the second period to open the scoring for the Kings.
“Recently, that hasn’t been our experience,” commented winger Warren Foegele, “but it’s important to acknowledge the strength of the opposing team.”
Less than a minute later, the Oilers conceded a two-on-one goal as Quinton Byfield assisted Trevor Lewis for a straightforward score. The transition defense, which had shown improvement under coach Kris Knoblauch, faltered on that play.
Consequently, the Oilers found themselves trailing by two goals early in the game.
“It’s challenging to play catch-up against a team like that,” remarked forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Byfield added another goal in the third period, cementing the outcome. This marked the first time since December 22, spanning 12 starts, that Stuart Skinner allowed three goals in a game. Byfield completed a three-point night by scoring into the empty net with 2:42 left in regulation.
Despite their typically potent offense, the Oilers struggled to create significant scoring opportunities against the Kings.
Edmonton’s best chances came during one shift when a bouncing puck off Leon Draisaitl’s stick hit the crossbar, followed by Corey Perry being denied by David Rittich’s right pad. Additionally, Hyman had an opportunity from the backdoor.
“Had we capitalized on a couple of those chances, the game’s narrative would’ve been completely different,” noted Foegele. “We’ve witnessed that scenario in this arena before.
“The last time we played here, on December 30th, we were down by two goals and managed to come back and win. Unfortunately, it wasn’t our night tonight.”
Knoblauch attributed the outcome to a failure to convert opportunities, but his players sensed there were underlying factors at play.
“We persevered and had opportunities. We just couldn’t capitalize,” Nugent-Hopkins remarked. “They didn’t offer any easy chances.”
“We needed to create opportunities out there,” Hyman added. “The ice was tight; there wasn’t much room to maneuver.”
Compounding the offensive struggles was the performance of their typically excellent power play, which secured the win against Anaheim with Draisaitl’s third-period goal. However, it went 0-for-4 against Los Angeles and produced minimal results.
It marked only the second time this season that the Oilers were held scoreless.
“We could’ve put together a stronger performance,” Nugent-Hopkins reflected. “However, if we had capitalized on the power play, the game might have taken a different turn.”
Speculations about what could have been.
In all honesty, the Oilers never seemed to have a fighting chance in this match, contrary to what the players and coach expressed. The Kings, under interim coach Jim Hiller for the first time, clearly outclassed them — as Hyman pointed out.
“I felt we improved as the game progressed, but ultimately, luck wasn’t on our side,” Knoblauch remarked.
Their luck seems to have soured in two of the three games since returning from the bye week, following a 16-game winning streak.
The timing of the break couldn’t have been worse.
“When you’re on a roll like that, it’s less than ideal. But it is what it is. We can’t control it,” Nugent-Hopkins acknowledged. “I thought we put up a good fight against Vegas, and last night in Anaheim, we battled hard.”
Perhaps, but the goals that were finding the net before the break aren’t finding their mark now. The Oilers managed just one goal in their two losses — a short-handed two-on-zero rush where Draisaitl set up McDavid in Vegas.
While the Oilers weren’t exactly dominating in their final games of January, it seems their luck has taken a turn.
The missed opportunities midway through Saturday’s game serve as evidence of that.
“It’s strange how things work in hockey,” Foegele mused. “During that streak, a couple of those goals would’ve gone in. Today, we just couldn’t find the back of the net.”
“Tonight, it was probably a game where we were finding ways to win during that streak,” Knoblauch added, “but tonight, it wasn’t enough.”
Despite dropping two of the three games on their road trip, the Oilers have still won 17 of their last 19 contests and 25 of their last 30. Under Knoblauch, they boast a record of 27-8.
That’s still an impressive streak, one that has propelled them three points ahead of the Kings for third place in the Pacific Division, with an extra game yet to play. It’s an outstanding achievement considering their poor start. There’s no need to panic.
The Oilers resume action when they welcome Detroit on Tuesday before embarking on another three-game road trip.
All that remains is to move past this game — and their almost record-breaking streak — and refocus on winning.
“We’ll need to rediscover our form,” Nugent-Hopkins remarked. “There’s no room for excuses. We need to kick off the second half on the right foot.”
