The Los Angeles Kings suffered heartbreak after heartbreak in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in previous years at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.
This time around, it appears that the tables have turned, as the Kings go up 2-0 in their first-round series against Connor McDavid and company.
Although the series is far from over, there is considerable reason for the Oilers to be concerned, as they remain winless against Los Angeles, which won Game 2 on Wednesday night at home via a 6-2 score.
Whether it's time for Edmonton to push the panic button or not, former NHL forward and current TNT studio analyst Paul Bissonnette seems worried about the Oilers, who have yet to bring home a Stanley Cup in nearly a full decade since taking McDavid first overall in the 2015 NHL draft.
"Kings are the real deal. Oilers are on the ropes. Who starts for Edmonton next game? Is McDavid putting up with this much longer? It’s ugly," Bissonnette shared in a post on X after the Oilers' Game 2 loss.
McDavid was sensational in Game 1 of the Kings series, scoring a goal and recording three assists in a failed comeback bid. But he was silenced by the Kings in Game 2, finishing with zero points with just two shots on goal.
As a team, the Oilers are losing the possession battle, which helps explain their struggles defensively. Through two games, the Kings have a 52.7 Corsi for percentage to just 47.21 percent by Edmonton. Moreover, Los Angeles has an 8.6 expected goals for percentage, nearly doubling the Oilers' 4.69 percent rate.
The Oilers will look to halve their series deficit on Friday, when they host the Kings at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
