It’s been a tough couple of days for Jim Hiller and his Los Angeles Kings.
First, they cough up 3-2 and 4-3 leads to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 on Friday night, making a brutal challenge on Evander Kane’s goal that tied that game at 4 a piece, only to allow the Oilers to runaway with it in the third period in a 7-4 loss.
Then, two nights later, it’s more blown leads, squandering 2-0 and 3-1 leads to fall to the Oilers in Game 4 — one in which Edmonton took their game to another level in the third and overtime periods, where the Kings seemingly had no answer.
And after Sunday’s loss, a defensive Hiller took exception to a reporter’s question about what caused those losses.
Reporter: How do you change your approach in the third period to better close out games?
Hiller: How do I change it? *scoffs* Next question, please. We’re that far away at the empty net. Q chips that out, Bouchard makes a good play, we’re not even talking about this, so… How about that?
Reporter: Sentiment in the room was that the first 40 minutes… —
Hiller: That’s your favourite question too, by the way. Maybe you got some ideas for me.
Hiller was certainly on the defensive, and even took another barb at the reporter after their next question, saying “We can go back and forth.”
The line of questioning was more than fair given what’s transpired in recent games, and the way the Kings sit back is something the Oilers know they can exploit.
“They like to absorb pressure — that can be taxing at times and I thought you saw that tonight,” said Oilers captain Connor McDavid after the Game 4 win. 
That’s something that will continue to play to their strength and something the Kings know they’ll need to counter. Hiller has essentially ran nine forwards and four defencemen through most of the series with blue liners Mikey Anderson and Drew Doughty up to 110 minutes through four games — nearly 30 minutes per night — while L.A.’s top nine forwards have seen a plethora of minutes, too.
There’s discontent within those who follow the Kings over the way Hiller’s handled Games 3 and 4, and while the series does shift back to Los Angeles for Game 5 Tuesday night, he’ll need to find a way to ensure his club can stay on top of what the Oilers bring.
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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