Edmonton Oilers Evan Bouchard (2) celebrates with Corey Perry (90) after Perry scores on the Los Angeles Kings during second-period NHL first-round playoff action on Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Edmonton. Photo by Greg Southam /Postmedia
The Edmonton Oilers got it done, somehow, some way, and maybe this series and playoffs is never the same for them. Maybe this is what they needed to find their hockey mojo. They certainly didn’t have it in the first two periods.
Edmonton came out weak and kept it up throughout those periods, getting down 3-1.
Two mental errors by veteran d-men Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard led to two critical goals against.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters.
- Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account.
- Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
- Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.
- Support local journalism.
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
- Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters.
- Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account.
- Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
- Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.
- Support local journalism.
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account.
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
- Enjoy additional articles per month.
- Get email updates from your favourite authors.
THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments
- Enjoy additional articles per month
- Get email updates from your favourite authors
But Bouchard fought back with one lucky goal and one brilliant shot to tie the game late in the third.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Edmonton dominated in OT until Leon Draisaitl scored.
In total the Grade A shots were 23 for Edmonton, 15 for the Kings, with the subset of 5-alarm shots eight to seven for the Kings (running count).
Connor McDavid, 8. Three assists. 13 major contributions to Grade A shots. Started slow but kept at it. He thwarted a Kings rush with a great stickcheck, then took a hooking penalty on his first shift. He got Edmonton’s first Grade A 11 minutes in, but only after the Kings had utterly dominated. He fought off a check and charged up ice to set up Draisaitl for a solid PP shot in the second. Great movement to set up Bouch on Edmonton’s tying goal. A few Grade As early in OT, then got a 5-alarmer off Brown’s pass, before setting up Drai for a great shot. Made a pass into the slot on the winning goal. Contributions/mistakes on Grade A Shots (GAS): Even Strength +8/-0; Special Teams +5/-1
Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Zach Hyman, 7. Great screen on Bouchard’s tying goal. Missed a wide-open shot in the first. Hit the post on an OT drive. He led the team with 12 hits. GAS: ES +4/-0; ST +0/-0.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 8. Great game. He allowed an early PP seam pass to the lethal Fiala but the L.A. scorcher burned it off the post. Great backcheck a moment later to take away a slot shot. Deft pass to help set up Perry goal. Glorious chance to score on a power play a few shifts later, charging in to the slot as the danger man, taking Draisaitl’s pass and ripping it on net, but Kuemper bested him. Got the job done on the PK. Big part of the OT passing play to score the wnner. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +4/-0.
Leon Draisaitl, 9. The OT hero, jumping on a puck and putting it upstairs. One goal and three assists. He helped set up Bouch’s harpoon in the third. He lost a battle on the first L.A. goal against. He fed Perry on his goal. Ripped a one-timer on net in the second, but not with his usual venom. He deftly set up Klingberg for two wicked shots in the third. Saved his best for OT. GAS: ES +8/-1; ST +4/-0.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Vasily Podzolzin, 5. Played his best hockey as OT came on, forechecking and backchecking. Seven hits in about nine minutes of play. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0.
Viktor Arvidsson, 4. Nothing much to report, but a hard shot on net early in OT. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0.
Connor Brown, 5. Not so solid on defence. Got in the highlight package when the puck was knocked off his stick right to Warren Foegele, who scored. He set up McD in the slot for a 5-alarmer in OT. GAS: ES +1/-3; ST +0/-0.
Evander Kane, 5. Blasted one through a screen but off the post. Not much going on early, but came on in the third, even more in OT. GAS: ES +2/-3; ST +0/-0.
Adam Henrique, 5. The first outside shot of the game deflected off him and almost went in. But a big part of a solid PK effort. Two monster jam shots in OT, but no goal. GAS: ES +2/-2; ST +0/-0.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Corey Perry, 8. Who says a worm does not have hands? Batted puck out of air, then into net to make a 2-1 game of it in the second. Edmonton’s best forward early in this one. He mixed it up all game and was there to screen Kuemper on Bouchard’s goal. He ripped a hard shot on net with a minute left, but no goal. Won the puck to help set up Drai for a great shot in OT. Great play on the winning goal, screening the goalie, then passing back to Drai for the win. GAS: ES +5/-0; ST +3/-0.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Trent Frederic, 4. Out of position early on for the game’s first Grade A against. Almost scored in OT when he jumped on Klingberg’s hard dump in off the the endboards. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST +0/-0.
Mattias Janmark, 4. Part of a group of disappointing Oilers. He and Brown were used less than normal on the PK, in part because Janmark’s struggled in that regard. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST +0/-0.
Evan Bouchard, 8. Bum one minute, hero the next. Bonus points for the timing of his goals and his poise under pressure. He kept the puck in the L.A. zone with a miracle play with 40 second left, then exploded a Bouch bomb top shelf where Momma keeps the cookies to tie the game. He also got a crucial goal to make it 3-2 in the third, giving the Oilers hope by firing a slot shot off Drew Doughty and in. Some great work on the attack, but one painful and momentous mistake. Excellent set up of Hyman in the first, but no goal. Terrible play on the third L.A. goal, first turning over the puck, then letting Fiala get in behind him. Great pass on Drai’s 2nd period shot. Part of a solid PK effort. Calm in OT, fired on net for Henrique to jam away, but no goal. GAS: ES +7/-1; ST +1/-0.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Darnell Nurse, 4. Not his best game, but kept it solid as it went along. He klcked off the Sequence of Pain on the first L.A. goal with a frankly awful unforced turnover up the boards, then lost a board battle to boot. Might well have covered for Bouchard on the third Kings goal. But he also came on as game went along. GAS: ES +0/-3; ST +0/-0.
Jake Walman, 6. Stronger as the game went along, like many of the Oilers. He got caught up ice for an early 2-on-1. He struggled on the PK in the first three games and played little there. Excellent block on Foegele shot in the third to kick off a dangerous Oilers rush. GAS: ES +3/-1; ST +0/-0.
John Klingberg, 7. Another good game. On his way to earning a new NHL contract. He moved in to rip two dangerous shots early in the third. Nasty turnover a few shifts later but Pickard bailed him out then pressing to score, he allowed a 2-on-1. He stopped Trevor Moore’s wide open slot shot in OT. GAS: ES +3/-4; ST +0/-0.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Brett Kulak, 7. Solid game, no major issues. Rushed the puck in on McD’s 5-alarmer in OT. GAS: ES +2/-2; ST +0/-0.
Ty Emberson, 3. He’s still feeling his way in big games. He bobbled the puck at the blueline leading to a dangerous Kings Grade A sequence. GAS: ES +0/-3; ST +0/-0.
Calvin Pickard, 7. He got it done early, but was outplayed by Kuemper overall. He fought threw a triple screen and deflection to stop the first Grade A 30 seconds in. Came up huge 10 minutes, first on Fiala’s snipe, then on Edmunsonr’s rebound shot, then Lafrriere’s one-timer. Beat on Moore’s shot, the unexpected end of the early L.A. barrage. He stopped Foegele’s first breakaway shot, but Foeg stabbed his pads and put it in. Little chance on the third Los Angeles goal, Fiala’s break-in, though a save would have hit the spot in that moment. Huge stop on Foegele half-way through third. Stopped Foegele’s backhander in OT.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
