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Things didn’t get much better as the game went along. Just as maybe Edmonton was getting it going late in the third, Connor McDavid rammed Kings forward Adrian Kempe into the boards from behind, a bang-bang play that got McDavid a debatable major penalty and ejection from the contest.
It was Edmonton’s first two-game losing streak of the year and it was done decisive fashion.
In the end, Edmonton has nine Grade A shots, the LA Kings had ten ( running count ).
Connor McDavid, 4. He slammed a hard shot on net on the power play in the second, his first real glimmer on the attack. He almost scored later in the second after Hyman took it hard to the net. He got an untimely penalty for blasting Kempe into the boards late in the third. It turned out to be the major. Debatable call and it, essentially, killed the Oilers’ chances in the game.
Leon Draisaitl, 5. He could not get revved up high enough this game. He got Edmonton’s first Grade A shot on the power play sixteen minutes into the game. In the second he set up Puljujarvi for a wicked one-timer. Other than that, not much.
Jesse Puljujarvi, 4. It was silent running for the aircraft carrier early in the game but he fired off a nasty blast in the second that almost beat Quick. But did little otherwise.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 5. He got beat off the boards 10 seconds into the game, the main culprit on LA’s first 5-alarm chance. He was set up down low for Edmonton’s best scoring opportunity of the first but he decided to pass instead of shoot and the pass went astray. But his swell backhand flip to Nurse was a key to that goal.
Kailer Yamamoto 4. Hmmm. Needs to crank it up. Finally in the third got off a Grade A shot, a 5-alarmer during a slot scramble.
Derek Ryan, 3. Part of the Sequence of Pain on the first LA goal, losing a board battle in the n-zone. He fell down in the o-zone to create an odd-man rush and kick off the Sequence of Pain on LA’s fourth goal. Edmonton has one shot for, 10 against when he was on the ice at even strength.
Colton Sceviour, 6. I’m seeing him good. Smart, low-event player. He made a huge defensive stop in the third, taking Grundstrom’s stick in the crease and taking away an LA goal.
Ryan McLeod, 6. He centered the Bako Line with Tyler Benson and Zack Kassian — that’s two ex-Bakersfield Condors and one guy who needs to raise his game if he doesn’t want to end up there. Edmonton’s fourth line had some solid shifts. In fact, they were Edmonton’s most effective line earlier on. He failed to take the man on LA’s fifth goal.
Zack Kassian, 6. Rebounded from a bad game with an OK one. Better with the puck. Oilers had six shots and gave up just two when he was on the ice at even strength.
Tyler Benson, 6. Combined well enough with his old linemate McLeod. Mucking it up, hitting when he can, trying to find his way in the NHL and making some progress.
Evan Bouchard, 3 . He had been playing better on defence but things went sour this game when he was paired up with Nurse again. He got beat in the second on a dangerous Arvidsson chance. The two settled down and started to play far more effective hockey as the game went on. But Bouch allowed Kempe to snipe it on the rebound for LA’s third goal. He also got beat on the pass for LA’s fifth goal, a garbage time mistake but still a major one.
Tyson Barrie, 6. His second period wrister led to two 5-alarm shots on Quick but Quick made great saves. He got beat by Iafollo on the rush in the third.
Markus Niemelainen, 6. His physical play is impressive, but his passing? A few glitches here and there. He gets a full extra mark for blasting Oilers nemesis Dustin Brown with a wicked hit. Smashed Arvidsson later in the game. He allowed the pass across on the fourth LA goal in garbage time.
Kris Russell, 4. He got out-muscled on the boards on LA’s first goal. It was his only Grade A mistake of the night at even strength but turned out to be costly. He was otherwise solid. He was part of the group that got beat on the Kings fourth goal in garbage time.
Philip Broberg, 4. He went down to stop the pass on the first LA goal but failed to stop the pass. Would have been better off keeping his feet and taking out the potential shooter. Other than that, played solid game on defence.
P.S.
Agent Allan Walsh let it rip on Tippett here. This is the kind of comment you expect from an incendiary agent standing up for his client. Pretty sure it won’t help Lagesson’s cause. He’s a fringe player trying to make his way. Not sure attempting to embarrass his coaches is the right idea, but Tippett likely to shrug it off, given the source.
Source: EdmontonJournal
