The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings faced off in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth straight year, starting on April 21, and it kicked off with a wild and exciting Game 1. The night began with an electrifying rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, performed by a group of harmonica players, which set the tone for the wacky action that followed.
With the Oilers trailing 5–4 late in the game, captain Connor McDavid—like he’s done so many times before—delivered another memorable moment in the Oilers–Kings rivalry, taking charge and tying the game with just over a minute and a half remaining, capping off a comeback that started with a 4–0 deficit. But the celebration was short-lived, as Phillip Danault’s floater slipped past Stuart Skinner less than a minute later, heartbreakingly spoiling the comeback.
If that’s a sign of things to come, the rest of the Oilers–Kings series will be must-see TV. With a memorable moment already in the books from Game 1, let’s look back at the top moments from their first-round playoff rivalry over the past four years.

Evander Kane Records Hat Trick in Game 3 of 2022

The series between Edmonton and L.A. was tied 1-1 after two games in the 2022 playoffs, and in Game 3, Evander Kane put on a show.
He recorded a team-high nine shots and scored a hat trick— two of his goals came from doing what he does best when he’s at the top of his game — crashing the net and cashing in on rebounds. He also completed the hat trick in style, finishing off a pass from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and burying the puck with just under 20 seconds left in the game, en route to a convincing 8-2 Oilers win.
In addition, Kane was absolutely electric for the Oilers during that postseason run, tying Nathan MacKinnon for the most goals scored in the playoffs (13 goals).

Nurse Receives One-Game Suspension for Game 5 Head-Butt on Danault in 2022

One of the more controversial moments of the 2022 first-round series between the Oilers and Kings came in Game 5, when Darnell Nurse was handed a one-game suspension for head-butting Phillip Danault. The incident happened late in the second period during a scrum in front of the Oilers’ net.
Nurse leaned in with his head and made contact with Danault — a move the NHL’s Department of Player Safety deemed intentional. The Oilers lost Game 5, giving the Kings a 3-2 series lead at the time. Nevertheless, the suspension forced Edmonton to play Game 6 without their minute-munching D-man in a must-win situation, adding even more tension to an already heated series.

Tyson Barrie Buries Crucial Go-Ahead Goal in Game 6 in 2022

Down 3–2 in the first-round series and without Nurse, the Oilers came out firing in Game 6 against the Kings, jumping out to an early two-goal lead with their season on the line. But that lead vanished when Carl Grundstrom tied it up early in the third, creating some tense ‘next goal wins’ energy. That’s when former Oilers defenceman Tyson Barrie came up clutch.
With close to five minutes remaining in the game, Leon Draisaitl teed up a perfect pass to Barrie, who ripped home the go-ahead goal—his first and only goal of that playoff run—which turned out to be the game-winner, keeping the Oilers alive and forcing a Game 7.

Kane Flashes Seven Fingers to Signify Game 7 After Scoring Empty-Netter in Game 6 in 2022

Nearly four minutes after Barrie’s go-ahead goal in Game 6, and with the Kings’ goalie pulled, Kane found himself alone on a breakaway, tucking the puck into the empty net for his second of the night. And, being in LA, Kane fully embraced the role like he was a villain straight out of a Quentin Tarantino film, flashing seven fingers to the Tinseltown crowd like a true bad guy—a move that Will Ferrell probably hated but Oilers’ fans absolutely loved.
When Kane was asked in the postgame interview about what his seven fingers signified, he simply said, “It means Game 7, baby,” as the Oilers forced a pivotal Game 7. He further added, “It’s going to be juicy, it’s going to be juicy,” setting the stage for a high-stakes finale at Rogers Place.

Connor McDavid Scores the Dagger Goal in Game 7 Against the Kings in 2022

Connor McDavid rose to the occasion in Game 7 against the Kings in 2022, delivering one of the biggest performances of his career to that point. The winner-takes-all game was tight-checking, with the Oilers struggling to break through until the second period when McDavid set up former Oiler Cody Ceci—Mr. Game 7 himself, for the opening goal.
Late in the third, rather than sitting back, the captain took over. He grabbed the puck, darted toward the Kings’ goal, went around the net, bullied his way to the front and roofed it over Jonathan Quick to finish off an amazing individual effort.
The crowd at Rogers Place erupted when McDavid’s big goal sealed the deal, and his celebration was filled with emotion, as everyone knew the Oilers were moving on to the second round after a big 2-0 win in Game 7.

Jack Campbell Steps Up in Relief in Game 4, Stops Arvidsson on Breakaway for Potential Series-Saving Save in 2023

In Game 4 of the 2023 playoffs, with the Oilers down 2-1 in the series, Edmonton found themselves in trouble early, falling behind 3-0 to the Kings. Stuart Skinner was pulled after allowing three goals on 11 shots in the first period, and in came former Oiler Jack Campbell. Despite a less-than-stellar legacy with the Oilers, Game 4 in the first round against the Kings in 2023 could be considered Campbell’s pinnacle of his time with Edmonton.
Campbell played lights out when he took over in the net in the second period, allowing his team to mount a comeback. Above all, with the Oilers still down 4-3, the netminder made an incredible save on former Kings player and current Oiler Viktor Arvidsson. The Swede pulled off a nice breakaway deke, but Campbell sprawled out with what was likely a series-saving pad save, keeping Edmonton within one. Less than two minutes later, Kane scored the crucial game-tying goal, sending the game to overtime.

Zach Hyman Snipes OT Winner in Monumental Game 4 Comeback in 2023

After an unforgettable comeback in Game 4 of 2023, with Campbell’s heroics keeping Edmonton in the game and Kane scoring the late equalizer, Zach Hyman stepped up to seal the deal in OT.
Evan Bouchard fired a stretch pass to Hyman, who then barreled in on his off-wing. With no hesitation, he took advantage of his open lane, fired a wrister that beat Joonas Korpisalo through the pads, scoring the game-winner and tying the series at two apiece.

Kailer Yamamoto Scores Series-Winning Goal in Game 6 of 2023

Former Oiler Kailer Yamamoto played 277 games with Edmonton, and his biggest moment in an Oilers uniform came in Game 6 against the Kings in 2023.
Heading into Game 6, Yamamoto was still point-less through the first five games and had been dropped from the top six to the bottom six. Despite that, he rose to the occasion when it mattered most.
With the Oilers holding a 3-2 series lead and the game tied 4-4, the former Oiler found himself with time and space. He unleashed a wrister from the top of the circle that beat Korpisalo with just three minutes remaining. His tally turned out to be the winner, and the Oilers held on to win 5-4, eliminating the Kings and securing the series victory 4-2.

Zach Hyman Tallies First Career Playoff Hat Trick in Game 1 of 2024

Zach Hyman had an unforgettable 2023–24 regular season, scoring 54 goals, and carried that momentum into the playoffs, starting the 2024 postseason on a heater.
In Game 1 against the Kings, Hyman recorded a hat trick—and he did it all in classic Hyman fashion, burying each goal a few feet from the blue paint. He capped off the third goal in vintage Hyman style, planting himself at the post and redirecting a McDavid pass into the net. It was Hyman’s first career playoff hat trick, with hats raining down at Rogers Place, and his captain notched an impressive five-assist night himself.

Stuart Skinner Records First Career Playoff Shutout in Game 4 of 2024

The Oilers were up 2-1 in the series against the Kings in 2024, and netminder Stuart Skinner stepped up with an incredible game in Game 4.
The Oilers were in tough against the Kings at Crypto.com Arena, with the home team outshooting Edmonton 33-13 and also outchancing in high danger chances 14-4. That said, Skinner stepped up with a spectacular performance, stopping all 33 shots he faced and recorded his first career playoff shutout in the process.
Moreover, he also became just the eighth goaltender in Oilers franchise history to record a shutout in the postseason. Evan Bouchard scored the lone goal for the Oilers in the second period, leading Edmonton to a 1-0 victory in Game 4, setting the stage for their series-clinching win in Game 5.
Building on the last point, Stuart Skinner has shown he can step up against the Kings, most recently shutting them out in last year’s playoffs. That said, after allowing six goals in Game 1, who do you feel should take the net next game?

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