Angeles Analysis – Game 3

Make that two years in a row the Kings have lost their first playoff game of the season in Edmonton by a final score of 7-4.

I think that’s where the similarities end, though.

In Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Kings got shellacked. Only a pair of late consolation goals brought the score as close as it wound up being. Last night, in Game 3, the game was much different.

It’s a game the Kings had every opportunity to win. A game they perhaps feel they should have won or at least played well enough to win.

The Kings expected the start they got from Edmonton. Two goals later, they were staring down an early, multi-goal deficit. For the first time in the series, the Oilers punched first and from the perspective of the Kings, it was the first time they took the first punch. We hadn’t seen that yet.

And how’d they respond? Calmly.

I didn’t think the Kings looked phased down 2-0, with the shots on goal sitting at 9-3 Edmonton. They settled into the game around the halfway mark of the first period, albeit down two goals, and controlled the next 30 minutes. Two goals down became a goal ahead. When Edmonton tied it? The Kings answered nine seconds later. All from a team that didn’t look bothered by the moment. They remained composed. No panic. They weren’t frazzled. And they worked their way back into the game, with a lead that felt more than deserved through two periods of play.

It was a lead they held until a pivotal moment in the game with 6:42 remaining in regulation. With the Kings leading 4-3, the Oilers put the puck in the net. Initially, the play was ruled to not be a goal, due to a clear kicking motion, though video review correctly ruled that a stick touched the puck after the kick. It actually would have been a kick had Darcy Kuemper not made the save, but in doing, you know, his job it allowed Evander Kane to get a stick on the puck. Kane was just trying to keep the chaos alive, noting post game that he intentionally kicked the puck into the crease to try and keep the pressure on, not to kick it into the net. He wound up getting the right bounce with his own stick, converting for the goal.

The Kings then called a timeout and challenged the same play for goaltender interference with the contact in the crease between Kane and Kuemper.

Regardless of your thoughts on the challenge, there’s no doubt that it carried a ton of risk. Miss that challenge and not only does Kane’s goal stand, tying the game at four, but you’re heading to the penalty kill in a game that hadn’t seen a successful kill to date, in either direction. The gamble was that a win would take the goal off the board, maintaining the lead for the visitors that they had held without a ton of threat until that point. Ultimately, the challenge was not successful and Edmonton scored 10 seconds into the ensuing power play.

As Jim Hiller said after the game, the challenge “cost us big time, there’s no way around it.”

It was an aggressive decision. It’s not a decision that I would have made, but not because I didn’t think there was interference. I’m not sure if there was or not, but I get it. More because I’m not an aggressive guy and for me, the juice wouldn’t have been worth the squeeze, so to speak. Hiller has shown that he is willing to be when he believes it’s the right call. The Kings believed the play was goaltender interference, and still do, as he doubled down in his post-game press conference. Ultimately, though, the juice turned out to not be worth the squeeze.

I think that Hiller challenged the play as he would have for 82 games. He showed faith in his staff the way he has all season long and whether or not I agree with it, I can respect it. It’s part of the culture that he’s built, in my opinion. Hiller has been a “scared money don’t make money” coach sometimes and I’ve appreciated his willingness all season to go against the grain if that’s what he feels is the right approach. As it played out, it was the wrong call and 10 seconds later, Edmonton made the Kings pay for the decision with the game-winning goal. That moment proved to be the decisive one in the game as it played out. But it wasn’t a call made by going away from what got them here.

It’s worth pointing out that it wasn’t a sure thing that the Kings would’ve won the game had they not challenged. It would’ve been 4-4, with momentum going the Oilers way, in a period in which the Kings had three total shots on goal. The Oilers only had six, so it wasn’t too lopsided, but you have to factor in those probabilities as well. The Kings did surge after allowing the power-play goal and perhaps they would have in a 4-4 game also. Kings have been the better team for the bulk of the series, so you’d take your chances, but it wasn’t a sure thing either. We’ll never know.

What I would say we do know is that the Kings are unfazed.

Yeah, they lost Game 3. But post-game reactions from Mikey Anderson and Drew Doughty were that of a group that is extremely confident going forward. The Oilers had a fast start? Fine, no problem.

“We can play from behind, we can play with a lead, we’re a good hockey team.”

Edmonton scored a power-play goal – and then again – for the first time in the series?

“Yeah they made a couple nice plays. They scored. Whatever.” Move on.

The Kings didn’t seem at all concerned and I say that in a good way. There was actually more concern after the Game 1 victory than the Game 3 loss and we saw the response from that in Game 2.

You never know what type of feeling you’re going to get when you go into the room after a game, specifically a defeat. The feeling I saw was one of confidence. Yeah, it sucked that Game 3 went the other way and both players said that. But it was a group that doesn’t feel it played poorly and isn’t going to let Game 3’s outcome deter them from playing their game in Game 4. You might say that’s the approach every team would take in that situation. I’m not sure……I’ve never seen this team up 2-0. Outside of their three most-experienced veterans, no one else in the room has either.

But as Anderson put it, there’s still quite the opportunity ahead of them come tomorrow night’s game. A split in this building was always a good result and that is still on the table. 2-1 series lead with a Kings team that feels extremely good heading into Game 4? Probably a series start they’d have taken before Game 1. But now the pressure amplifies for Game 4 and man what a big game that’s going to be. Edmonton probably has some life off the Game 3 win and they’ll see Game 4 as an opportunity as well, but an opportunity to hold serve, not seize control.

That’s why Game 3 wasn’t a dagger for the Kings. Not by any stretch. It could’ve been, maybe even would’ve been, for Edmonton but for Los Angeles, it was an opportunity and an opportunity missed. But this is a team that showed it can get punched and come out the other side undeterred. And that’s a good sign. Now it’s on to a huge one tomorrow night, when they’ll try and make the good things they’re focused on count in Game 4.