Los Angeles Kings' Phillip Danault (24) competes for the puck against Edmonton Oilers' Joshua Brown (44) and Kasperi Kapanen (42) during the first period of an NHL game in Edmonton on Monday, April 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
The Los Angeles Kings cruised to a 5-0 win over a weakened Edmonton Oilers squad on Monday night, locking in home-ice advantage for their upcoming playoff showdown. With this win, the Kings have now won seven of their last eight games and are heading into the postseason with strong momentum.
Adrian Kempe led the charge for the Kings, scoring once and assisting on two others. Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala also found the net and chipped in with an assist each. Quinton Byfield and Vladislav Gavrikov rounded out the scoring in a game where the Kings looked sharp and focused from start to finish.
For the Oilers, this game was far from full strength. Edmonton rested their top star, Connor McDavid, and were also without several key players including Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Evander Kane, and Mattias Ekholm. Most of them are expected to return for the playoffs, but their absence was clearly felt on the ice.
Darcy Kuemper stopped all 16 shots he faced for the Kings before being replaced by David Rittich midway through the third period—likely as a precaution to keep him fresh. Rittich made five saves in relief. On the other side, Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard was under siege all night, making 31 saves in the loss.
Turning Point of the Game
The game tilted heavily in Los Angeles’s favour eight minutes into the second period. With a power play opportunity, Kevin Fiala ripped home his 35th goal of the season—his personal best—off Pickard’s glove and into the net. That goal made it 4-0 and all but sealed the deal. Fiala has now scored seven times in his last six games.
Player Spotlight
Quinton Byfield continued his hot streak with a goal, marking his fourth straight game with a tally. He now has seven points over those four games and sits just one point shy of tying his personal best for points in a season. Unfortunately, his night was cut short when he took a pair of rough cross-checks from Darnell Nurse late in the second period. The nurse received a major penalty, and Byfield did not return to the ice. A possible suspension for Nurses could be looming.
Milestone Watch
Oilers forward Connor Brown suited up for his 600th career NHL game. He came into the matchup with five goals in his last six games but couldn't get on the scoresheet in this one.
Stat of the Night
Though the Kings dominated this outing, Edmonton has historically had the upper hand. The Oilers have knocked out the Kings in the first round for three years straight—winning in seven games in 2022, six in 2023, and just five in 2024. But this time, the Kings will hold the home-ice advantage.
