It’s another big day in Oil Country. It’s now time for Game 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. What started out in the gutter, was quickly turned around when Connor McDavid racked up three consecutive points and potted the game-tying goal to complete the Edmonton Oilers three-goal comeback. The rally was short-lived though, when the Los Angeles scored to retake the lead with 42 seconds remaining in the third.
With how Game 1 started, let’s take a look at what changes were made and what stayed the same in the lineup for tonight’s pivotal game.
Lineup tweaks needed after Game 1
Fans probably hoped that this wasn’t the case, but it looks like the Oilers will be going “nuclear” in this game. What I mean by that, is Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will be playing together on the first line for the majority of the game, instead of playing together when they are needed or on the Power play.
After being sidelined all season due to his injury, Evander Kane is back! And in the top-six? For a guy who hasn’t played all year and only practiced with the team, that is a pretty big role to place Kane into right away. He said that he is ready, and we will find out tonight if that is the case.
Trent Frederic, who played on the third line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jeff Skinner in Game 1, is now going to be lined up with Adam Henrique and Connor Brown tonight. Maybe these three can develop some chemistry and play some big boy hockey for the Oilers.
Jeff Skinner was in for Game 1, and now it is starting to look like he might be scratched after his first playoff appearance in his career (15 year drought.) How will this effect his morale throughout the rest of the postseason.
Stuart Skinner will start Game 2, which may come as a surprise to most Oilers fans, especially after his “weak” series opening performance.
Edmonton Oilers projected lineup for Game 2
Oilers lineup thoughts
With such a dominant and individual effort from McDavid, which also may have been the best Game 1 performance from one player in the postseason, all that was pretty much for nothing. It may not be the best time for the Oilers to go “nuclear” but the team is currently down one and needs to win four, so I can understand why this coaching decision was made.
The defence (Evan Bouchard) did not look good in Game 1 at all, and with Cam Dineen and Josh Brown as the fourth pairing defencemen, those two most likely will not be playing tonight. We will see if they learned from their mistakes, and if some high quality defence will be played tonight in L.A.
We will find out tonight, which Oilers team we will see and if any more changes will be made to the starting lineup before puck drop.
