Edmonton, Canada – THE Kiss“The season expired on Wednesday at 10:52 p.m. mountain time. The cause of death was the EDMONTON OILERS.
Again.
For the Kings, these oilers have become serial killers, stifling their hopes in the NHL qualifiers in the first round in each of the last three seasons. And it has become easier for the oilers over time. In 2022, they eliminated the Kings in seven games; Last year, they did it in six games; This time, it only took five, the last a 4-3 victory at Edmonton.
“It is definitely a disappointing feeling, obviously for the third consecutive year,” said Captain of Kopitar Kopitar. “It fears right right now.
“No matter, you are out of the playoffs it doesn't matter that gets you. But certainly not a great feeling that gets the worst three years in a row.”
The purple goals came from Evander Kane in the first period and two from Leon Draisaitl and one from Zach Hyman in the second period. Evan Bouchard collected three assists and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid two each, the two aids of McDavid giving him a record of League 11 in the playoffs.
Kings' objectives have come Alex Laferrierewho marked in the last seconds of the first period, Blake LizotteWho marked in the first minutes of the second, and Adrian Kempe, who marked in the last three minutes of the season.
Faced with elimination and without any place for the error on Wednesday, the Kings made a drink, going to the penalty box five times during the first two periods to fix the three goals of the Oilers in the second period.
Edmonton was ready to celebrate long before the washer fell in match 5. Restaurants and storefronts in the city center were decorated with banners and office panels while office workers and merchants wore Oilers jerseys to work. “Go on the Goilers Go!” Flash of digital destination panels on the front of city buses. Even the opioid clinic at the corner of the arena had an eliminatory poster for the oilers stuck to its windows.
Rogers Place, the team's obstacle house, was again filled with a noisy crowd of more than 18,000; Thousands of others looked on large screen televisions in a parking lot next to it. And they didn't have to wait a long time for something to applaud, Kane marking a donation with the Brett defender Kulak to put the Oilers in front of 10:17 in the opening period.
When I arrived, Edmonton had not lost any of the seven previous playoff games in which Kane had marked against the Kings. It wouldn't change Wednesday.
The Kings, withdrawn from the momentum of a well-played match 4, had largely controlled the game to this point, surpassing Edmonton 7-1 in the first 10 minutes. But they were unable to take advantage of certain botched oils until Laferriere scored a bizarre goal 28 seconds before the first intermission.
Edmonton trying to close the period, the Kings Vladislav Gavrikov sent a routine pass in the end of the Oilers. Edmonton goalkeeper Stuart Skinner came out of the fold to play the washer, but it took a strange rebound on the front of Laferriere's objective, which had an easy finish in an open net for his first goal in career playoffs.
Just more than three minutes after the start of the second period, Lizotte, promoted to the third line alongside Laferriere for this match, scored her first goal in the playoffs to give the Kings their first advance of the series since the Kopitar winner in overtime in match 2. Andreas Englund and Viktor Arvidsson made the goal possible, quickly moving the circle of the ice.
The advance did not last long, however, and once again, it was the Kings penalty killer who dropped them with Draisaitl Evening the Game on a power game objective, Edmonton's ninth in 19 opportunities for man in the series. The Kings were 0 for 12 on the play of power in the playoffs.
“This comes down to the special teams,” said Jim Hiller, acting coach Kings. “It's quite simple. You have seen a team execute, a team no. ”
The Phillip Danault center has accepted.
“I don't know what to think. It's too fresh,” he whispered in the empty locker rooms of the Kings. “But it really hurts.” We must better win against this team.
“The match at five against five is right. At the end of the day, they get five games of power, we get (one). You can't control this. And it's the same scenario each year. So, if there is one thing you should change, these are probably the penalties.”
With their back against the wall, the kings had stressed exactly that – the need to avoid unnecessary penalties. However, less than three minutes after Lizotte's goal, Gavrikov went to hang. And 65 seconds later, the match was tied, with Draisaitl by exploding a shot just inside the good post that the Kings goalkeeper David Rittich has been gloved outside the goal, to have the momentum carrying the washer – and the gant of Rittich – on the line.
The fifth goal of Draisaitl of the series less than five minutes later put Edmonton to stay and he came four seconds after the power game of the Oilers had expired. He also came from the same place – the edge of the right -playing circle – and again decisive passes went to McDavid and Bouchard.
Hyman diverted in the bouncing of Bouchard shooting from the top of the slit in the last minute of the second period – three seconds after the Kings Drew Doughty came out of the penalty box – to double the head.
Kempe's fourth goal in the series gave hope to the Kings with 2:18 to play in their season, but they could not get closer.
“Probably need a few guys to intensify. Play better. We all, each team guy,” said defender Drew Doughty. “This is the only way to win an eliminatory series.”
When it finally ended, there was really nothing more to do for the Kings than to get on their charter flight Thursday morning to another long off -season. The Oilers, on the other hand, are again in the second round, this time against the winner of the Vancouver-Nashville series, which resumes Friday in Nashville with the Canucks, 3-2.
