GAME PREVIEW - GAME 5: Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings

Edmonton Oilers (2-2)

Los Angeles Kings (2-2)

-PLAYOFFS-

Round 1, Game 5

10 May 2021

Rogers Place

8 PM MT

TV: CBC

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Jewels From The Crown

NOW, A BEST OF 3

The Oilers didn’t score at all in Sunday’s 4-0 loss to the LA Kings. Jonathan Quick stopped all 31 shots for LA, the Kings picked up a pair of goals from Carl Grundstrom in the victory. It’s a pretty big turnaround for the Oilers, who were scoring goals in bunches through game 2 and game 3. They’ll try to forget all about game 4, as the series turns into a best of 3 starting with tonight’s contest.

It’s as close to a must-win for both clubs. The Kings want to win tonight, they’ll have a chance to take the series with a win in either game 6 or 7. Edmonton would really benefit from a win tonight so they won’t end up in a do-or-die situation back in LA. Can the Oilers get back to scoring in bunches?

Let’s go to the tape.

THE OILERS ARE SAYING

“Well, I didn’t think we started anywhere near where we needed to start...We knew they were going to come with a push, and we didn’t weather it very well, or certainly the way we wanted to. It’s a missed opportunity for us.”

Source

That’s Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft after his club’s 4-0 loss to the Kings in Game 4.

Looks like the Oilers ought to have taken Mike Smith to Burger Baron, as it could’ve been 7-0 by the end of the second.

THE KINGS ARE SAYING

“That guy makes big saves when you need him to...Obviously there’s a reason he’s won two Cups here and has been here for however [long] he has been. But he’s done it all year for us. Comes up in big games when we need him to.”

Source

That’s Kings defenceman Mike Anderson after LA’s 4-0 win over Edmonton on Sunday.

Quick was letter-perfect in his win, stopping all 31 Oiler shots. The shutout was his tenth career shutout in the playoffs, dating all the way back to 2010.

HAVE SOME OF THIS

• It’s tough coming back from being down a goal. I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but I’d venture a guess that it’s tougher coming back from being down two goals. The Kings came hot and heavy in game 4, and the Oilers found themselves down 2-0 at the end of the first after Troy Stecher and Trevor Moore put the Kings up by a pair.
• Eleven minutes of ice time for Jesse Puljujärvi, three shots. I’m dying to know what his ailment is, because it just doesn’t make sense otherwise.
• Derek Ryan was held out of Sunday’s loss, he was replaced by Derick Brassard. This caused the bottom six to be thrown off by quite a bit. Nugent-Hopkins didn’t have a good game, he and Archibald had the sink thrown at them. Ryan was “a little dinged up” according to Woodcroft, the Oilers will benefit from having him back if he’s good to go tonight.
• With the hope that Derek Ryan is OK tonight, I think the Oilers ought to go with what got them 14 goals over two games. I’d be surprised to see anyone on another line, at least in the top six. They’ve got last change at home tonight, and I’d expect Woodcroft to use this to his advantage as he has already.
• Because I said I’d be surprised, Yamamoto hops to line one, McLeod will jump to line 2, while Jesse Puljujärvi tries to shore up the third line. Derek Ryan is expected to be on the fourth line tonight.
• Goals of all flavours have dried up for the Oilers - Edmonton went 0/3 on the night. The Oilers could use a little of that juice tonight after going 5/11 in the first three of the series.
• Mike Smith (2-2-0, .942 SV% / 2.27 GAA / 1 SO) will get the nod again in game 5. Jonathan Quick (2-2-0, .894SV% / 3.76 GAA / 1 SO) will be back in net for the Kings.
• Whoever takes game 5 will be all sorts of fired up for game 6. The Oilers need to score early and often to put this one to bed early.