EDMONTON – It was clear before the series even began: if the Edmonton Oilers are to advance past the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, they must secure at least one victory at Crypto.com Arena, considered the NHL`s toughest road venue this season.
The positive aspect is that over the past four playoff series against the Kings, Edmonton holds a 6-4 record in Los Angeles, including five regulation wins. In the regular season over the same four years, the Oilers are 4-3-1 at the arena. This brings their total record in Los Angeles heading into the crucial Game 5 to 10-7-1.
“We feel quite comfortable here, that`s for sure,” commented Brett Kulak, standing in the visitor`s locker room where the Oilers have celebrated series wins and significant victories over the years. “We`ve played a lot of hockey here, many big games, and we`ve found ways to get the job done. Individually, everyone has had big moments and contributed at important times, and collectively as a team, we`ve had success here.”
“So that`s definitely something you can rely on and draw confidence from.” Kulak added.
This series is evolving into a genuine contest for control of the game`s flow. In three of the matchups, Los Angeles has held the upper hand for the initial 40 minutes, while Edmonton has clearly been the dominant team in the third period.
One of these teams will need to alter this pattern, and that team will likely emerge victorious in the series.
“We`ve done a good job at various points in the series showing resilience and finding ways to stay in games,” said Ryan Nuggent-Hopkins, “even though we probably haven`t played the cleanest 60 minutes we`ve wanted to see yet.”
“Tonight, getting off to a strong start is crucial,” Nuggent-Hopkins stressed.
