There are few idioms the Edmonton Oilers love more than referencing their experience.
They’ve been in high-pressure situations before in deep playoff runs, and a huge chunk of that came last year, getting to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. It wasn’t pretty, but they dragged themselves back from a 3-0 series deficit to get one or two goals away.
Well, that idiom was on full display Sunday night in a crucial Game 4 in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. Already down 2-1 in the series, another strong start to the game from the Kings saw Trevor Moore and Warren Foegele lift L.A. to a 2-0 lead early in the second period, and a 3-1 lead by the end of that period.
The tight-checking, choke-you-out Kings appeared to be in a position to do it again — but then Edmonton’s experience kicked in. They flipped the switch. They dug in.
Two goals from Evan Bouchard in the third period — his second straight game scoring as many, mind you — and the Oilers were right back in the game. They pummelled the Kings, playing their own brand of fast-paced hockey that left the Kings playing on their heels.
And then they finally earned a call they hadn’t gotten twice earlier in the night as Kings defenceman Vladislav Gavrikov tripped up Connor McDavid and the Oilers simply wouldn’t be denied. Leon Draisaitl called game.
“We could’ve easily gone out there, mailed it in, and headed to L.A. and try to dig our way out, but I thought everyone just dug in,” said McDavid after the game. “I’m sure there’s lots of people doubting us still, but we like it that way.”
Those doubters may be getting fewer and fewer as this series continues because now this thing is all tied up at 2-2, becoming a best-of-three series where the Oilers need to find a win on the road. The old saying goes, “You’re never in trouble until you lose on home ice,” and the Oilers have a chance to make that happen.
The Oilers’ special teams are a determining factor in turning the tide. After getting lit up for seven goals on the Kings’ first 12 power plays of the series, the Oilers slammed the door on all three of their man advantage chances in Game 4, all the while finding offence of their own on the power play, converting on two of three chances Sunday.
“We’ve had lots of looks in the first two nights we played them,” said Draisaitl, who helped set up Corey Perry for the first man-advantage marker and scoring his own on the game-winner. “Lots of chances that could’ve gone in where we’re close and maybe we’re not as sharp in connecting on those. The last two nights, we’ve beared down and we’re looking to continue that.”
It’s easy to look at what the Oilers have done late in Games 3 and 4 and wish that’s how they could start each game — or for that matter, play a whole game like it — but that’s just not realistic. The Kings are owed their credit, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said.
“It’s not always just about us. We got to give the L.A. Kings a lot of credit for holding us back from playing our best early in games,” he said after the game. “In Game 3, I certainly thought we came out really well. We had a 2-0 lead and then it kind of faded.“Tonight was definitely not the case and you know ideally, you have a solid sixty minutes, right from the puck drop right to the end of the buzzer. It’s not that easy. I don’t have any answers right now.”
One thing that will be crucial for them, though, is trying to find ways to limit the self-inflicted wounds that have put the Oilers in a position to chase games.
“There’s always going to be turnovers — they play a good game that’s gonna force you into making mistakes — it’s just not that easy to say ‘never make a mistake,’ because we got to play our game, and our game is moving the puck up, making good passes and not just a chip and chase,” said Knoblauch. “There’s a balance in how we need to play, but hopefully our guys, with what they’ve gone through in the past, especially with the adversity of the playoffs and how difficult it is and what you need to do to overcome, one game you’re bad, the next you have to bring it again.“I think we’re okay with when a mistake happens, we let it go and continue on.”
Now, the Oilers have to find a way to drag the Kings back to Alberta with an opportunity to close out the series at home. Game 5 goes Tuesday night in Los Angeles.
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.
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