Edmonton started off game 2 vs. LA with more hustle, shots, and chances – but it didn’t matter, it’s hard to win games when your number one goalie gives up five goals a night.

Edmonton came into this game with big hits and scoring opportunities right out of the puck drop – exactly the kind of response you want to see after Monday’s just-almost-comeback story.

Evander Kane and John Klingberg both made their playoffs debut, with Kane playing his first game since June 2024. Kane brought some much needed physicality, although he might have brought a little too much seven minutes into the first when he boarded Brandt Clarke straight through the numbers. The Kings would capitalize off a rush with 11 seconds left in the penalty to open the scoring.

The Oilers got a chance on the odd man advantage shortly after, but Kuemper was able to fend off a couple high danger shots to maintain the early lead for LA.

LA extended their lead five minutes into the second period on a strange sequence where Byfield walked up to the net completely uncontested while Bouchard stood and watched Skinner get beat gloveside. McDavid looked irate after the goal, and it’s not hard to understand why. Bouchard and Skinner are routinely becoming Edmonton’s kryptonite duo.

The Skinner chants wouldn’t die down anytime soon after Kuzmenko put a wrist shot blocker side. Edmonton finally found their way onto the stat sheet off a smart play by John Klingberg who opted to shoot the puck wide towards Leon Draisaitl for a redirection goal. Going into the second intermission Edmonton trailed by two, but there wouldn’t be a third period push tonight.

Arvidsson redirected a shot from Podkolzin for Edmonton’s second goal, but almost immediately returned the favor – flubbing a pass to Kempe directly in the slot to resecure a two goal lead. Things only got worse after LA went back to the powerplay and scored their third of the night. The goal came on a cross ice pass for a wrist shot to beat Skinner on a net that was practically empty.

Skinner made a comedically easy save 30 seconds later, and the crowd burst into chants of “SKIIIIINNEERRRRR”. You’d think that after letting in 11 goals this week Skinner would be mad, but he was beaming ear to ear listening to the Califnoria faithful chant his name. Knoblauch was less happy than Skinner, and pulled him from the net (about forty minutes too late). Pickard wasn’t exactly much better; he let in a goal shortly after replacing Skinner with ten minutes to go.

The rest of the game was a wash. The Oilers were frustrated, depressed, and downbeaten. The energy is not high heading into Friday’s return to Alberta – which now feels like a must win game.

The story of this series thus far has been all specialty teams. Last year Edmonton had an unreal penalty kill that rarely leaked shots; this year the PK is lucky to hold pressure off for more than a minute. Not only that, but the power play is anemic.

It doesn’t help that the Kings have had double the amount of powerplays.

The Oilers need to figure things out, and they have until Friday to do it. Letting in 6 goals a night doesn’t win you games in the first round, let alone get you the Cup.