Kings Victory Previews Upcoming Playoff Series

The Los Angeles Kings' victory over the Edmonton Oilers previews their upcoming playoff series.

Apr 5, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8), left wing Andrei Kuzmenko (center), and defenseman Mikey Anderson (44)) are all smiles after Kuzmenko’s goal in the second period against the Edmonton Oilers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has felt like dejá vu for the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings. The two Pacific Division rivals have met in the first-round each of the last three seasons, with the Oilers taking the series three straight years.

The Kings and Oilers are destined to meet for the fourth straight year in the opening round, but this season could be different. Los Angeles took on Edmonton in their third regular-season contest, beating them by a final score of 3-0. The Oilers were without their two-headed monster of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but it was less about Edmonton's struggles and more about the way the Kings forced the Oilers to play.

What stood out was how well the Kings forced the Oilers to the perimeter. It seemed like the entire Edmonton offense came from out wide and from low-danger areas. The Oilers recorded 27 shots on goal but only a few came from high-danger areas. Again, it's much easier to force a team into your defensive trap when two of the best players in the world aren't available, but this system can work no matter who is in Edmonton lineup.

The other aspect of this game that stood out was the Kings' goaltending. Veteran Darcy Kuemper was fantastic while recording his fifth shutout of the season. He saved all 27 shots against him in the victory, and he had the Oilers' figured out from the moment the opening puck dropped.

The play of Kuemper is a painful reminder to the Oilers of how a red-hot goalie can grind any offense down to a halt. They experienced the same thing in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals. Their three wins in the championship series featured offensive explosions, but when Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky shut the door, it didn't matter what McDavid or Draisaitl did. Bobrovsky lifted the cup while the Oilers looked on.

The Kings have the pieces to deliver a devastating upset in the opening round of the postseason. The Kings have the goaltending, the defensive structure, and the offensive firepower to overcome the mighty Edmonton Oilers. They proved that with their latest victory over their division rivals.

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