The Los Angeles Kings were in full control of their Round 1 postseason series against the Edmonton Oilers — the fourth straight year the two Pacific Division rivals have met in the opening round.
Not only did the Kings jump out to a 2–0 series lead, but after dropping Game 3, they held a 3–1 advantage in the third period of Game 4, looking poised to take a 3–1 series lead. Instead, the Oilers stormed back and won in overtime, tying the series at 2–2.
To make matters worse, the Kings opened Game 5 in Los Angeles with a 1–0 lead, only to allow three unanswered goals in a 3–1 loss.
Oilers Lead Kings With a 3–2 Series Advantage
The Oilers thoroughly outplayed the Kings, dominating the shot count in the opening 20 minutes, and for the game (46-22).
Still, Los Angeles took a 1–0 lead early in the second period on a power-play goal from Andrei Kuzmenko.
But the Kings once again failed to protect a lead. A missed opportunity to clear the zone directly led to Evander Kane’s second goal of the postseason, tying the game 1–1.
In the third, Mattias Janmark scored his second of the postseason to give Edmonton the lead for good. After pulling goaltender Darcy Kuemper for an extra attacker, the Oilers iced the game with an empty-net goal from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
3 Most Disappointing Kings Players During 3–1 Game 5 Loss to Edmonton Oilers
#3. Brandt Clarke
Brandt Clarke struggled on in Game 5, logging just under 15 minutes of ice time and finishing with a -1 rating.
More concerning, he committed three giveaways — more than any other Kings defenseman. The 21-year-old former No. 8 overall pick will need to pick up his game if the Kings want to even the series.
#2. Drew Doughty
Drew Doughty, the veteran defenseman who was part of the Kings’ 2012 and 2014 Stanley Cup runs, hasn’t delivered during the team’s losing stretch.
Doughty was held without a point in Game 5, took a costly penalty, and ended with a -2 rating.
It’s a far cry from the 35-year-old’s best performance. In his 17-year NFL career, he’s finished in the top-20 in Norris Trophy voting — awarded to the league’s defender — 11 times. He won the award for his performance in the 2015-2016 NHL season.
#1. Quinton Byfield
Once again, the Kings aren’t getting what they need from Quinton Byfield when it matters most. He played well in the first two games of the series but has since disappeared.
Byfield went pointless in Game 5, registered just two shots on goal, and finished with a -2 rating. He also had three giveaways.