Not how the Kings wanted to open their home portion of this series.
LA fell to Edmonton in a depleting 6-1 loss in Game 3, and were unable to capitalize on the momentum they gained after their dramatic win a few nights ago.
Edmonton struck early and did so with volume. It was a 3-0 lead before the first period ended, with goals coming from Zach Hyman, Leon Draisaitl, and Connor McDavid – three players who have killed the Kings so far in this series. Hyman added his sixth of the playoffs in the third period, as well.
What’s perhaps most concerning for the Kings is their continued struggles on special teams. Edmonton added another three power play goals, while LA failed to capitalize on any of their four man-advantage opportunities.
As is usually the case in lopsided playoff games, things got chippy during the final frame; a total of 80 combined penalty minutes were assessed in the third period. Things started with a big hit from Kings defenseman Andreas Englund on Evander Kane. It would not be surprising if Englund has a meeting with the Department of Player Safety prior to Game 4.
The playoffs are confusing and very unpredictable, and it would be foolish to count the Kings out of this series. Just look at 2022, for example: LA lost Games 2&3 by a 14-2 margin but came right back and won the next two games, taking a lead in the series and pushing Edmonton to the brink of elimination. However, the Kings will need all hands on deck to make a similar push happen this time around.
Starting on Time: Just like Game 1, the Kings played much better as the game went on, but they must start better on Sunday if they hope to tie the series. Against a team like Edmonton, it goes without saying it’s much better to get out to an early lead and have sustained pressure rather than chase the game.
Stat Sheet Takeaways: Just how dominant was the first period for the Oilers? In the first 20 minutes, slot shots and high danger chances were 8-0 and 6-0 in favor of Edmonton, respectively. With the talent the Oilers have up front, numbers like these will result in a big lead nearly every time. Cleaning this area up must be a focus for coach Jim Hiller and his players heading into Game 4.
Goaltending: Despite Cam Talbot’s struggles in the first two games of the series, Hiller elected to go back to the veteran netminder for Game 3. Unfortunately, however, Talbot allowed six goals on 41 shots. It’ll be interesting to see if Hiller goes to David Rittich on Sunday, especially since Hiller did not make nearly as many lineup adjustments in Game 3 as he usually does.
The Crowd: Just as the Kings had hoped for coming into Game 3, fans at Crypto.com Arena were loud and engaged from the drop of the puck. While it was a disappointing effort on the ice, LA will need to channel this energy as they look to flip the script once again on Sunday.
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