They say a series doesn’t truly begin until a team loses at home. With the Kings up 2-0 on the Oilers, Game 3 in Edmonton is perhaps the biggest game coach Jim Hiller’s squad will have played to date. A victory will put them one step closer to their ultimate goal — yet this will also likely be the most difficult to win, as they’ll be playing a desperate team powered by a raucous Alberta crowd.
Once the puck drops tonight, Game 3 will feature the highest of stakes for both clubs. If Edmonton is able to get the job done, it becomes a 2-1 series and perhaps a little doubt creeps into the minds of the Kings; especially considering they struggled on the road at times during the regular season. Additionally, this is a must-win game for Connor McDavid and the Oil because if the Kings are able to go up 3-0 in the series, history says it’s a near mark to overcome.
That’s also where things become extremely difficult. Beating McDavid and Draisaitl in a must-win game for is a test like no other for the Kings, especially at Rogers Place. With goaltender Stuart Skinner struggling in the first six periods of this matchup, the Oilers will now turn to Calvin Pickard in net.
For the Kings, Hiller likely won’t change much, if anything at all. After using a 12+6 alignment in Game 1, he opted for 11+7 in Game 2. Alex Turcotte was a healthy scratch at forward, so the move was purely a coach’s decision. While Hiller — or any NHL head coach at this time of year — isn’t going to tip his hand one way or another in advance, either option is available to him.
“We’ve done it enough times that we know we’re comfortable playing with 11 and 7,” said Hiller following Game 2. “We’ll see where the next game is, could be 12 and [6], could be 11 and 7.”
Exactly.
He was also asked what the most important element of their successful formula at home needed to be carried into Game 3:
Adrian Kempe appears to be all in on the HarmoniKings, as well. With that in mind, we offer this:
In the end, keep it simple and play a good game on the road. That’s what the Kings need to do (obviously). The pregame message today should be, ‘Don’t be happy getting a split in Edmonton. Do whatever it takes to push the lead to 3-0 and create an improbable situation for the opponent.’
Mandatory Listening
New KOTP drops later today. Be on the lookout!
Statistically Speaking
— Kempe has three goals and seven points through the first two games of this series vs. Edmonton. He’s also the first player in Kings history with back-to-back three-point games to start a playoff year and the first with seven points through the team’s first two postseason games – one point more than the next closest (Wayne Gretzky, six points in 1990), via NHL PR.
— Andrei Kuzmenko (7G, 14A in 24 GP) has the most points, regular season and playoffs combined, among all players who were acquired on NHL Trade Deadline Day this season, ahead of Mikko Rantanen (5G, 13A in 22 GP).
— Brandt Clarke (22 years, 73 days) became the second-youngest player in the past decade to score a playoff goal for the Kings, behind Quinton Byfield (Game 5 of 2023 R1; 20 years, 249 days).
— The Kings have score two or more power play goals in each of their first two games of a playoff year for the fifth time in franchise history: 2010 (4 GP), 1990 (2 GP), 1989 (2 GP), 1987 (2 GP).
Kings Projected Lineup vs. Oilers
If there are any key changes during pregame warmups, this article will be updated.
Kuzmenko – Kopitar – Kempe
Fiala – Byfield – Laferriere
Foegele – Danault – Moore
Malott – Helenius
Anderson – Doughty
Gavrikov – Spence
Edmundson – Clarke
Moverare
Kuemper (starter)
Rittich
Likely scratches: (F) Lewis, Thomas, Turcotte and (D) Burroughs, Moverare and (G) George
Note: Carter Geroge was recalled earlier today and will serve as the third goaltender for Games 2, 3, and 4. Copley has been returned to AHL Ontario in advance of their Game 1 on Thursday. See here for more details.
Injured: Jeannot, not skating yet, officially week-to-week (initially reported as out for extended time period)
Key Game Info
Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm Pacific Time and will be televised locally by FanDuel Sports Network. Additionally, a Kings radio feed is available on the ESPN LA app (which is the new home for Kings radio this season, they’ve moved off of the iHeart platform).
More on the ongoing TV situation here.
Across the Ice
Here is how Edmonton is projected to lineup tonight:
On This Day in Kings History
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