The Edmonton Oilers suffered a heartbreaking 6-5 defeat during the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs series opener against the Los Angeles Kings. The pain was magnified as Connor McDavid sparked a late rally from down 5-2 only to concede the game-winning goal to the Kings with less than a minute left. As they turn their focus onto Game 2 at Crypto.com Arena, the Oilers are mired with a big question mark in their lineup.
The Oilers have grown all too familiar with gut-wrenching postseason heartbreak. Last season, McDavid and Edmonton battled back from a 0-3 series deficit in the Stanley Cup Final, only to fall in Game 7 to the Florida Panthers. The pain wasn’t any easier to endure because of their near-epic comeback—if anything, it made it worse, as fans had dared to hope again, only to have their hearts ripped out in the end.
It’s becoming a common, yet not any less painful tendency in Alberta, with the Oilers. The loss in Los Angeles will sting for a while, but it is also a big source of inspiration for the team, as they’ve seen no lead can be too deep of a hole for their second-to-none firepower in McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
However, the same old issues continue to impact the roster. The defense and goaltending has been the weak link in Edmonton’s chain since McDavid was selected first overall in the 2015 NHL entry Draft. At times, the best player in the league is able to make up for the troubles in the defensive zone, but in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, that’s not always the case.
Stuart Skinner #74 of the Edmonton Oilers reacts after getting in a collision with Nikita Zadorov #91 of the Boston Bruins (not pictured) at the TD Garden on January 7, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts.
As the Oilers hope to even the series with a much-needed win in Game 2, head coach Kris Knoblauch revealed there’s one pending decision that could mean the difference between winning and losing.
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“Knoblauch said no decision has been made on a starter in net for Game 2,” Sportsnet reporter Jack Michaels stated on his X account.
Same old story
Goaltending has been Edmonton’s kryptonite for so long, fans cannot even remember the exact date this problem started. Though he helped the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final last season, Stuart Skinner has been under heavy scrutiny for as long as he’s been the number one netminder in Edmonton.
After an awfully inconsistent Game 1 performance against the Kings, Knoblauch couldn’t confirm whether Skinner would get the nod in net again on Wednesday night. Calvin Pickard could step in for Skinner during Game 2, in case Knoblauch takes a sharp turn.
Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on March 13, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey.
Slow and steady
While McDavid and the Oilers would love to learn who will stand between the pipes as soon as possible, they much rather Knoblauch is sure he is starting the best fit at the time, not rushing his decision.
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Edmonton knows what it takes to hoist Lord Stanley. The Oilers are well aware that the Stanley Cup isn’t won in Game 1 of the First Round, and they are confident in their group’s capacity to turn it around. However, a strong outing will be needed in Game 2 to take the series even back to Edmonton.
