Connor McDavid CANNOT be an even player in the playoffs for us to have success.
Leon Draisitl CANNOT be a minus player in the playoffs for us to have success.
We're 2 games in only. They've played 1 good game.. and 1 poor game 5 on 5 for those two.
Need a lot more from those two 5 on 5. Can't just be pp specialist.
You cannot let Anze Kopitar take you to the cleaners 5 on 5, and last night he did. Took both those lines to the cleaners.
Third and Fourth lines are rocking so that's the good news.
But sorry shame on Leon's and McDavid's lines for their 5 on 5 play last night.
That's what I'll be watching intensely in this game. I haven't like Leon's 5 on 5 game for a long long time.
In fairness EV, Kings are arguably the best team in the league at shutting down. Even with their average if that goaltending. Thing is it is possible to win games and win the series on special teams. The Oilers have been the better team in PP and PK by miles in this series. Not even comparable. To put into perspective the Oilers have more HDSC in this series shorthanded than the Kings do on their PP.
Hockey included special teams and the Officials generally don't start putting whistles away until round 2.
Kopitar line wasn't good in game one. They made amends. Conversely McDrai lines were owning game 1.
This seems strange but in current configuration the Oilers are suddenly the deeper team at forward. We are not playing the Lizotte, Laferriere, Lewis type fills. All L's, thats a chuckle. ALL of the forwards we are dressing are better players than that. Kings have the 3 worst forwards in the series, with apology to old Lewis who is trying.
Kings have 9-10 usable forwards. They have fill. We have no fill in 2024 in our playoff lineup.