by The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings know each other pretty well at this point.
After meeting in the first round of the playoffs three years in a row, the two teams are once again on a collision course. The Kings are simply trying to escape another series against the Oilers, while the Oilers are trying not to get dragged into the crab bucket that is the Pacific Division.
That means the stakes will be high for the match between the two teams tonight. The Oilers are two points ahead of the Kings for second place in the division, although LA still has two games in hand. Both teams desperately want two points tonight as they look to catch Vegas and avoid another first round repeat.
These two teams could hardly be more evenly matched. Apart from their points total, they have an identical goal difference of +22. They have been one of the top three teams in the league since early December, trailing only – and most frustratingly – the Vegas Golden Knights. For example, you can achieve a percentage of 0.750 points for six weeks and not make up a single place in the rankings.
Both teams have won five of their last six, with the Kings’ winning streak coming to an end Saturday in Calgary. The Oilers return from a four-game road trip in which they posted three wins, including a comeback win in Chicago on Saturday night.
The Oilers will also look to avenge their loss to the Kings on December 28. They squandered a third-period lead and lost in overtime as part of a rough two-game road trip in California.
Both teams know what to expect from each other at this point. The Kings are as steady as they come, rolling four lines and playing solid defense for extremely variable goaltending. The Oilers combine a solid team defense with two of the best players in the world and a dangerous power play. Every match between these two teams is like a new play-off match.
All pieces are on the board. Now it’s time to play.
Tonight’s game starts at 7:30 PM on Sportsnet.
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