I was excited to see that the Edmonton Oilers’ first game back from the Christmas break was against the Los Angeles Kings. With three straight playoff matchups fuelling the rivalry between these two sides, even regular-season games tend to be spicier than you’d typically get from something in late December. Unfortunately, the Oilers fell short in a frustrating 4-3 overtime loss.
BLOWING LEADS IN THE THIRD PERIOD
If there’s one thing the Oilers have gotten away so far this season, it has to be blowing third-period leads and winning the game in overtime. Nights against the Islanders and Predators in mid-November come to mind as examples of when a flexed killer instinct by the Oilers would have wrapped up their night in regulation, but costly errors in the third period sent both games to overtime. The same thing happened on Saturday in Los Angeles, with the obvious difference that the Oilers couldn’t still win the game despite themselves.
The Oilers couldn’t outscore their problems this time around and missed out on what could be an essential point in the standings down the line when it comes to home-ice advantage in the playoffs. Not to be overdramatic about one loss or anything, but it’s frustrating to give up a divisional win despite leading in the game two different times, including with under three minutes to play. The Oilers need to find ways to close in games like this if they’re going to put themselves in a spot to steal the division.
WARREN FOEGELE WINS THE REVENGE GAME BATTLE
I like Warren Foegele and very much disliked seeing him in a Kings uniform. He was the kind of solid secondary player that teams need to have if they’re going to win it all, and having him land in L.A. after a career season with us in 2023-24 is annoying. I don’t begrudge the guy for securing the bag and landing a contract outside what the Oilers could pay, but my problem is that he landed in the Oilers’ division. So, it seemed inevitable that he would be a menace as an opponent, exactly what happened on Saturday with the goal and pair of assists he registered in the first game against his former club.
Not wanting to feel left out, Viktor Arvidsson also chose violence against his former club, scoring his second goal in as many games and first against the Kings since he left in free agency. Arvidsson’s fourth goal of the year gave him three points in his last two games and three in the five he’s played since returning from injury. But maybe the most positive aspect of these last two games is that he’s produced with McDavid and Draisaitl as his centre. If Arvidsson can only keep himself healthy, then maybe this mini-heater could turn into something more substantial. Dare to dream? I’m thinking of Arvys.
THESE GAMES ARE ALWAYS INTENSE
It didn’t take long to see that Saturday’s matchup between the Oilers and Kings would be close. With neither side having much space to make plays, the game almost had a playoff feel right from the opening draw. It was the kind of game where you had to capitalize on your opportunities because it could be a while before the next one revealed itself, and that had both sides engaged and aggressive no matter where the puck was on the ice. It’s the kind of intensity that you get after repeated playoff matchups, and you could tell how much this one mattered to everyone on both sides.
That intensity makes losses like this one feel all the more painful. To be that close to the finish line on a regulation win and lose it late in overtime stings, but maybe this back-to-back start to the post-break schedule can be helpful. The good news is that the Oilers won’t have time to dwell on it because of their game against the Ducks at the same time tomorrow afternoon. We’ll see if the boys can shake off a tough one and get back into the win column against a team they should probably beat.
OTHER THINGS WORTH MENTIONING
1. How about Kasperi Kapanen scoring his fourth goal for the Oilers since they claimed him on waivers back on November 19th? I didn’t really know what to expect from a guy who was a healthy scratch for the Blues before they waived him, but he’s settled into the lineup better than anyone could have expected.
2. I really like when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is thinking shot on the Oilers’ power play. The power play is so much better and varied when RNH is a threat to snipe the puck with that sneaky wrister of his, and we got a wonderful version of it with the second period goal he scored to tie the game. McDavid fed RNH in the slot and he wasted no time in burying the puck low on Kuemper’s blocker side, marking a productive return to the lineup after missing last Sunday’s game against the Senators with an illness.
3. Did anyone else think it was funny that the crowd was doing the Skinner chant given that he was the goalie who knocked them out of the playoffs the last three years? I certainly thought it was funny. Then again, with the .862 save percentage he posted on 29 shots, maybe there was a time or two when he deserved it. The other thing I’d say is that if Skinner’s helmet was loose in OT, then he needs to shake that thing off his head like Mike Smith or Dwayne Roloson would have.
4. I don’t nitpick Connor McDavid’s game very often, but I think it’s fair to hope for more than zero shots on goal from the former 60-goal scorer. While his vision on the ice is unlikely anyone else to ever play, I do with he’d be more selfish when the puck is on his stick sometimes. McDavid looked pass on a couple of quality shooting opportunities, and when the game is as tight as this one, I’d love to see him put more pucks on net.
5. I may have taken him a minute to get rolling, but the Kings have a juggernaut in Quinton Byfield. His two goals led the Kings to victory, but with a little bit of luck, he could have easily had a hat trick or more.
6. Unfortunately, I must report that the Oilers won only 45.9% of the faceoffs they took. I choose to blame the tryptophan.
