Edmonton Oilers send Kings to brink of elimination with dominating 3-1 win in Game Five: Cult of Hockey Player Grades

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30-04-2025

The Edmonton Oilers have erased a 0-2 start to take a 3-2 series lead on the L.A. Kings after a commanding performance in Los Angeles in Game Five.
The Oilers utterly dominated the Kings. The shots were 19-4 in the first goalless period of the series. It was 33-12 after two as Edmonton's hard press continued. And the shot clock ended 46-22, with the scoreboard 3-1. That, against the best home team in the NHL. The score flattered L.A., frankly. It should be stated that Darcy Kuemper was all that stood between that score and a beat-down. He was spectacular. At the other end, Calvin Pickard was more than good enough.
The Kings now teeter on the brink of elimination, as the Oilers come home to Rogers Place for a potential clinching Game Six.
CALVIN PICKARD. 7. Made his first save on the Power Play nine minutes in. Fought off a Doughty wrister through traffic in the opening frame. Two saves on Foegele to start the second, a toe stop and another up high. A high tip he had no chance on for the 1-0. Got just enough of a Kempe breakaway attempt to keep it 1-1. Looked very much like Byfield put his hand on the puck in the crease but there was no call. Nice glove grab on Kempe with 3:35 remaining. Another important save on Fiala late. Stopped twenty one of twenty-two. All he does is win!
CONNOR McDAVID. 7. Absorbed eight hits in the first frame. A slick cross-ice pass to Bouchard who was stoned by Kemper in the first. Hard wrist shot forced Kuemper to squeeze a puck hard, keeping it 1-1. Great chance on a wrapround but it bounced inches wide. Neat feed up to Nugent-Hopkins at the attacking blueline with the 3-1 empty net goal. Seventy percent CF V5v5.
RYAN NUGENT-HOPKINS. 7. A clear that killed off the Kings first period man advantage. Lost faceoff on the 1-0. Created a dangerous chance in front with a tidy backhand from below the goal line. Third period PK clear. Chip shot on net late in the third. Clutch blocked shot late then salted it away with the empty netter.
ZACH HYMAN. 7. Drew a penalty with a near knee-on-knee from Kuzmenko. Physical, four hits in the first period alone. Received an excellent Nuge pass right in front but could not drain it. Another four hirs in the second. Six shots. Ten hits to end the night.
JAKE WALMAN. 6. A great feed inside to Corey Perry who just missed the tap-in. 'Third assist' with a high clear of the zone which led to the Oilers break and the 2-1 at the other end. Jumped on a loose puck in his own end on the PK and cleared it safely away. Blocked shot same shift.
EVAN BOUCHARD. 6. Robbed by Kuemper's lightning glove off a fine pass through coverage from McDavid. Gained the zone on McDavid's terrific chance at 9:52 of the second. Excellent stick to clear a loose puck from the slot early in the third. High Dangers 8-4 on his watch. Led the D-corps at 22:14 TOI.
LEON DRAISAITL. 7. Fed Perry for a PP chance in the first. A splendid one-touch pass to spring Walman and Perry early in the second. Sprung Perry for a Grace 'A' in the second. Denied by Kuemper off a great backhand pass by Perry. A zone clear and then a pass out of the zone to earn the secondary assist on the 3-1. Great game. Seventy-four percent CF 5v5.
VIKTOR ARVIDSSON. 5. Shot from the doorstep nine minutes into the first, off a turnover. Terrific play along the wall to spring McDavid and Bouchard for a Grade 'A' chance. Hammed a shot on net, the rebound from which Janmark slammed home for the 2-1.
VASILY PODKOLZIN. 5. A hard play behind the net created a chance for Arvidsson in front. Nice pass to Arvidsson on Janmark's eventual 2-1 goal. Had six hits.
BRETT KULAK. 5. A point shot rattled dangerously around the crease late in the second. Solid defensive play on Byfield behind his own goal line. Excellent stick disrupted a Kempe sortie deep into the third. HDSC 3-5 5v5.
TY EMBERSON. 6. Heavy hit on Kopitar in the first. A couple clears on a first period PK. Two more clears on a third period kill. Seventy-seven percent on draws. Particularly good PK work on the night.
ADAM HENRIQUE. 6. A backhand and then forehand chance point-blank in the first. Fed a pass over to Frederic on a 2-on-1 but no dice.
EVANDER KANE. 7. Attempted bank shot his first shift. Another chance close in late in the opener. Ripped home a wrist shot which deflected high and in for the 1-1. Landed Kempe on his pants hallway through the second. Got a stick on a Hyman rebound and nearly snaked it home. Blocked shot late. Five shots, four hits.
CONNOR BROWN. 5. Clear on the first period PK. Shorthanded 2-on-1 but could not find the insurance marker.
DARNELL NURSE. 5. Took a second period trip on which the Kings scored the 1-0. Took a hooking minor in the third, too. HDSC's 7-5 5v5. Two shots, three blocks, four hits in 22:15.
JOHN KLINGBERG. 7. Two tremendous plays with the puck early in the second frame, the second of which set up Kane fore the 1-1. High skill play beating Doughty off the wall. Solid defender stop on Fiala late in the second. Beat by Kempe a shift later.
TRENR FREDERIC. 5. Early shot from the high slot which handcuffed Kuemper. Terrivic chance on a 2-on-1 late in the second but Kuemper got just enough of it to send the puck wide. Hard play on the wall in his own zone for a clear.
MATTIAS JANMARK. 6. Roughing call in the first but his mates killed it off. Harf to the net and rewarded with a rebound off Kemper's blocker for the 2-1. Turned out to be the game winner. His second of these playoffs after scoring but two all regular season long. Three shots, two hits.
COREY PERRY. 6. Chipped a pass from Draisaitl off the goalie's glove and wide on the PP in the first. Will see that gaping open net that he missed in the early second frame in his sleep tonight. Tooka nifty backhand move to the net halfway through the second. Terrific backhand pass to Leon for a chance.
The series is now 3-2 Oilers. Game Six is Wednesday.
Now on Bluesky @kurtleavins.bsky.social. Also, find me on Threads @kleavins, Twitter @KurtLeavins, Instagram at LeavinsOnHockey, and Mastodon at [e-mail]. This article is not AI generated.
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