Oilers' special teams, top players too much for outmatched Kings in Round 1

EDMONTON — Seven … six … five …

The Edmonton Oilers blew up the Los Angeles Kings for the third year in a row, in quicker fashion than the year before that, and the year before that.

And while we expect the Kings to dynamite everything from their front office to that gruesome 1-3-1 defensive system that is as ineffective as it is soul crushing, the Oilers will put their collective feet up, open a cold one on Friday night, and watch Vancouver try to close out Nashville.

The winner of that series will meet the Oilers in Round 2.

For the third season in a row, Edmonton rolls into the second round, this time on the heels of a five-game series win and a 4-3 closing game on Wednesday in which the Oilers' special teams bludgeoned L.A. into their summer.

“It’s a pretty simple write up on this one, I think,” instructed Kings head coach Jim Hiller to a room full of writers. “You saw one team execute, and one team not, on special teams.”

Edmonton’s power play went 9-for-20 in the series, and scored two more goals in Game 5 that came three and four seconds after a Kings penalty had expired. But before you call the Oilers a bunch of power-play merchants, they also did not allow a single goal in this series on 12 Kings power plays, a true sign of a team that has corrected itself over the years.

“I think we’re probably a better team this year than we were last year or the year before,” said Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, who had two goals in Game 5. “We’re more mature, which plays a big part sometimes.”

There are moments in any series where momentum can turn. Where an underdog can find the confidence that fuels an upset.

In this annual tete-a-tete, however, the Oilers stomped out every potential fire while it was still an ember, while dealing with a few overtly bad breaks that ended up in their net. They never really lost control of the series and, as such, won in a handy five games.

“I thought there were lots of different situations,” acknowledged Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who was clinical, with a goal and 11 apples in the series. “We get off to a good start (Game 1), kind of give momentum away (losing Game 2), but we were able to get it back, and I think that shows some growth.

“For us, finding a way to stack some games, get it to 3-1 and finish off the series in Game 5, that’s a big step for our group. A lot of good signs, but it’s only one series.”

If they handed out a series MVP, it would go to Draisaitl, who was as good offensively (5-5-10) as he was defensively. His work these past five games was nothing less than a master class in playoff hockey.

When the big German sets his mind to playing a 200-foot game, his game is Bealiveau-like. “One of the best players in the world,” McDavid said.

Draisaitl was an absolute horse in a 1-0 win in Game 4, and opened Game 5 with a dutiful strip of Pierre-Luc Dubois, just as the struggling King was fixing to deal a puck on an odd-man rush. Then he scored two goals, and would have added an empty-netter had he not been hauled down on the penalty that ended the Kings’ night.

“He doesn't get enough credit for defensive play, whether it's in the regular season or the playoffs,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. “He's good at it.”

“I think, over the years, you just learn that those things are sometimes more important in playoff hockey than scoring on the power play or whatever it may be,” said Draisaitl, who is 28 and right in his prime as an NHL player. “I take big pride in defending. Sometimes it gets away from you a little, but when it matters most, I enjoy it. Our whole group has done a really good job of defending, of doing it the right way.”

In 18 playoff games against Los Angeles over the last three years, Draisaitl has 17 goals and 30 points. That’s a goal a game through three separate Round 1s, while performing top defensive duties as well.

McDavid and Draisaitl were, as predicted, better in this series than their counterparts, the great Anze Kopitar and sidekick Phillip Danault. Edmonton’s depth forwards bested the Kings’ depth forwards, and in goal, Stuart Skinner allowed four goals in the final three games of the series — one a bounce off a stanchion that left him chanceless behind his net.

Skinner was infinitely better than the L.A. tandem of Cam Talbot and David Rittich.

“We lost to them for the third year in a row and it just sucks right now,” Kopitar said. “I mean, it doesn’t matter. You’re out of the playoffs regardless who beats you, but definitely not a great feeling getting the worst of it three years in a row.

“The bottom line is we’ve got to get the job done on the penalty kill and we didn’t do it throughout the five games. It wasn’t just tonight.”

In the end, the Oilers' best players are in their primes, while Drew Doughty, Kopitar and Danualt — while still excellent players — are past theirs, and not surrounded with as good a roster as Edmonton has.

They could play this series three more times and Edmonton would win ‘em all. It’s sad, but true.

“It’s super frustrating,” said Doughty, as he stripped down for one final time in his 16th NHL season. “I mean, I don’t really have all the answers for you on what’s missing.

“We probably just needed some more guys to step up, play better.”