4/5 Preview – Big Game, Bigger Implications + Kuemper’s Fine Form, Kings Continue at Home, Hiller Podcast

WHO: Los Angeles Kings (43-23-9) vs. Edmonton Oilers (44-26-5)
WHAT: 2024-25 Regular-Season Game
WHEN: Saturday, April 5 @ 1:00 PM Pacific
WHERE: Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, CA
HOW TO FOLLOW: VIDEO: FanDuel Sports Network – AUDIO – ESPN LA App – TWITTER: @dooleylak & @lakings

TODAY’S MATCHUP: The Kings return home to begin another three-game homestand, with the Edmonton Oilers in town for a massive Saturday-afternoon tilt.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Kings and Oilers have split the season series to date, with each team winning a one-goal game in their home building.

Forwards Quinton Byfield (2-1-3) and Warren Foegele (1-2-3) lead the Kings this season with three points from the two games played, with all three points for both players coming in a 4-3 overtime win back in December. Over the last two seasons, between regular and playoffs, Byfield has 13 points (4-9-13) from 11 games played against Edmonton.

KINGS VITALS: With the afternoon puck drop, the Kings did not hold a morning skate in advance of today’s game.

Coming off yet another strong performance, I would consider goaltender Darcy Kuemper tonight’s projected starter against the Oilers, although that is unconfirmed. Kuemper has stopped 53 of the 57 shots he’s faced this season versus Edmonton, posting a 1-1-0 record with a .930 save percentage. For his NHL career, he’s got an 11-4-4 record, with a .919 save percentage and a 2.43 goals-against average.

For reference, here’s how the Kings lined up on Thursday in Utah –

Tonight's @LAKings Line Rushes –

Kuzmenko – Kopitar – Kempe
Foegele – Danault – Moore
Fiala – Byfield – Laferriere
Malott – Helenius – Lewis

Anderson – Doughty
Edmundson – Gavrikov
Moverare – Clarke

Kuemper
Rittich

Looks like Moverare in for Spence, if rushes hold true.

— Zach Dooley (@DooleyLAK) April 4, 2025

The Kings made one lineup change on Thursday, inserting defenseman Jacob Moverare in place of defenseman Jordan Spence. Unclear if that change will stick, or if perhaps other changes could be coming.

Not expecting forwards Tanner Jeannot or Alex Turcotte to be available, but Spence, along with defenseman Kyle Burroughs and forward Akil Thomas are both able to go if called upon.

Head Coach Jim Hiller will address the media today at 11:45 AM in advance of the game.

OILERS VITALS: Edmonton has won three straight games by a 3-2 score, extended with Thursday’s victory in San Jose.

Per Tony Brar of Oilers TV, here’s how Edmonton lined up in the win over the Sharks –

EDM lineup vs. SJS:

Podkolzin – Draisaitl – Arvidsson
Hyman – RNH – Kapanen
Skinner – Janmark – Brown
Jones – Henrique – Perry

Walman – Bouchard
Nurse – Stecher
Kulak – Emberson

Pickard
Rodrigue#Oilers

— Tony Brar 🚀 (@TonyBrarOTV) April 4, 2025

The two biggest questions come around Edmonton’s two best players – Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

McDavid has missed the last six games with a lower-body injury but is on the trip and has skated this week. Draisaitl recently returned to the lineup but left Thursday’s win early with another injury. Neither is expected to play in today’s game.

Additionally, Edmonton is currently without defenseman Mattias Ekholm, forward Evander Kane and goaltender Stuart Skinner, though forward Trent Frederic could potentially return today.

Storyline Of The Day – Not Much Bigger Than This One
Talked going into the game in Utah that the Kings needed to have all of their focus on Thursday.

Despite not playing their best game for 40 minutes, I don’t think it was a focus issue. No signs that I could see of a team looking past that game. Ultimately the Kings got the job done in the third period, after a struggle during the first 40. With Edmonton holding on to defeat San Jose later in the night, it’s a good thing they did.

Now it sets the stage.

Kings versus Oilers, Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles. For a regular-season game, this is as close to as big as it gets. Kings Head Coach Jim Hiller expressed his excitement and hopes everyone will match it in the arena later on today.

“It’s going to be a good game, we’ll be excited, they’ll be excited,” Hiller said. “I’m sure our fans will appreciate this one and will be loud and proud, I will hope. The place should be rocking, I think, come [this] afternoon.”

Entering today’s game, the Kings have 95 points, bolstered by that win over Utah. Edmonton kept pace with the victory over their own, winning 3-2 in San Jose, moving back to within two points of the Kings in the standings with 93. A Kings win today would see them move 3 or 4 points clear of Edmonton, while also pulling within a point of Vegas at the top of the division. A loss would see the gap either narrow to a single point or move to zero, with the tiebreaker still pointing in the Kings favor.

No matter what happens today, the Kings will be in second place in the Pacific Division with six games to play. Los Angeles holds that first tiebreaker over Edmonton by a pretty comfortable margin and barring a very strange set of results down the stretch for both teams, if the Kings and Oilers finish tied, the Kings would hold the edge.

Six games remaining after today. Four of those six games for the Kings come on home ice and just two come against a current playoff team, including one final showdown with the Oilers at Rogers Place. The first part is certainly welcomed. The latter, not so sure, with how results have gone this season at times. But man, what a fun opportunity.

Standing in the way of extending the gap in this one is obviously a familiar foe.

“We’ve played them a lot the last few years, probably our first-round opponent, so we’re going to be giving it our all,” forward Trevor Moore said. “We obviously know about these guys and it’s going to be a tough game.”

Between regular-season games and playoff games, the Kings and Oilers have squared off 33 times over the last four seasons, with today’s game making 34.

Ultimately, the Kings know what’s ahead of them.

It’s an opportunity.

Regardless of who the Oilers will dress, the Kings are going to get a stern test. Edmonton is certainly shorthanded today, no doubt about it. Really makes this a terrific opportunity for the Kings, but taking this game with anything less than their best, despite who isn’t playing, would be a mistake. One they don’t seem intent on making.

“We’re two points ahead of Edmonton right now and it’s going to be a battle right down to the end, they’re a good team,” forward Quinton Byfield added. “Every two points is going to be massive down the stretch. It’s going to be a really competitive game, a playoff game.”

3 To Watch For –
– While I suppose we don’t know for sure, it would be hard to imagine the Kings going away from Darcy Kuemper in net tonight. After all, if it were up to him, he feels good enough to play each remaining game.

“That’s not up to me, but I’d play them all if I could,” Kuemper said with a laugh. “I feel great.”

Kuemper enters tonight’s game on a stretch that no one else in Kings history has ever been on. In fact, only Jonathan Quick has been within a game in Kings history. Over his last 12 starts, Kuemper has allowed two goals or fewer in all 12. Quick did it 11 times back in 2017. The list of Kings netminders to accomplish the feat 11 times in a row is two names long – Quick and Kuemper. It’s been over a month since the 5-1 loss in Chicago, when Kuemper was in net for four of the goals against. What a run he’s on.

But it’s not just a run, though, is it?

After recording victories over Winnipeg and Utah, Kuemper ranks second in the NHL in goals-against average and third in save percentage among goaltenders with at least 40 games played. He ranks fourth in goals saved above average and consider that Kuemper plays for a top defensive team in the NHL, meaning that number certainly is not inflated by a porous defense. What we’re seeing right now from Kuemper is outstanding and it’s coming on just about every night.

For a team that exited last season with zero goaltenders under contract and a lot of uncertainty at the position, there is very little of that now. Everyone knows what to expect when Kuemper is in net. And that is solid goaltending. With another big test here today against the Oilers, the Kings will need Kuemper to be who he has been all season.

“I’ve felt good all year, it’s been a great year and it’s been a lot of fun,” he added. “I just want to keep having fun with it and good things are happening.”

– If you’re going to have a big game, certainly nice to play it at home. Especially if you’re the Los Angeles Kings.

The Kings, if you recall, are the NHL’s best team at home. Not sure if you’ve heard.

28-4-4 this season at Crypto.com Arena and obviously there is a lot of confidence when the team is playing in Los Angeles.

Kuemper called it a “belief” when playing in this building. He said it isn’t something the players talk about, it’s just something they feel in a game. Adrian Kempe has referred simply to a “confidence” that the team has at home. They don’t just think they’re going to win, they feel like they’re going to win. That’s an important distinction. He called it a different feeling compared to past seasons.

In the quote above, Jim Hiller spoke to the fan support he’s expecting from the team today. It’s something he’s referenced all season when he’s been asked about the home record. The Kings are a team that thrives on energy, that plays with a ton of energy. Perhaps that plays a role? The players might be inclined to agree.

“I grew up going to Kings games, so I’m biased, but I think we have the best fans in the league, so it’s huge when our fans our buzzing,” forward Trevor Moore said. “Maybe we don’t score all the goals in the world, but they’re still there behind us, cheering us on. It’s huge.”

Going to need it to be huge today, considering the stakes. With a big game on tap, certainly nice to have that game come in Los Angeles.

– Lastly, sharing this interview from the Ray and Dregs podcast, as Hiller joined the program with Ray Ferraro and Darren Dreger.

A bit of light listening as you prepare for what should be a fun game coming up in a few hours!

Kings and Oilers. Big one for sure. Puck drops at 1 PM Pacific in Los Angeles!