4/25/25 Western Conference Stanley Cup Playoffs Game Recap

LA Kings vs. Edmonton Oilers (Game 3)

The Edmonton Oilers won Game 3 in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the LA Kings and forced Game 5 in this series. This game took place at Rogers Place and ended with a final score of 7-4 in the Oilers favor.

For the first time in this series, the Oilers found themselves with the lead of the game after #93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins successfully scored on #35 Darcy Kuemper after receiving an impressive spinning pass by #18 Zach Hyman (1-0). Rogers Place continued to buzz with excitement after the Oilers extended their lead 2-0 when #2 Evan Bouchard slapped the puck into the back of the net after a faceoff win on the Oilers' first power play opportunity of the game. Although the Kings looked shaky, they were able to regroup and cut their goal deficit by one-goal after #9 Adrian Kempe scored during 4-on-4 hockey (2-1).

The Kings momentum carried on into the second period which kicked off with a successful game-tying power play goal scored by #22 Kevin Fiala with twelve seconds left on their man-advantage. The Oilers’ penalty kill unit continued to struggle during the second period as the Kings then extended their lead 3-2 with a power play goal scored by #8 Drew Doughty. Despite having a couple short handed opportunities during the Kings’ power plays, the Oilers continued to preserve and answered back with #28 Connor Brown scoring the game-tying goal (3-3). This tied game was short lived as #12 Trevor Moore extended the Kings’ lead nine seconds after #28 Brown’s goal. After a back and forth second period, the teams went into the third period with a 4-3 game in the Kings’ favor.

After a couple great scoring chances by both teams, the third period remained stagnant until the latter half when #91 Evander Kane scored a goal and made it a tied game (4-4). This goal initially was under review as the puck was kicked under #35 Kuemper’s pad and then whacked into the back of the net. After the review, it was determined by the refs as a good goal which was quickly challenged by Kings for goaltender interference. After another conversation, the refs confirmed that the call on the ice stands which ultimately put the Oilers on the power play after a Kings’ failed coach’s challenge. It did not take long for the Oilers to successfully score on the power play and extend their lead ten seconds into their man-advantage (5-4). In the final two minutes of the game, the Kings pulled their goaltender twice in the to have an extra attacker on the ice, however, things did not go according to plan as #97 C. Connor McDavid and #28 Brown both secured the empty net goal to make it a 7-4 game. The Kings continued to battle hard in the final minutes of the game, however, the Oilers’ defense and goaltender, #30 Calvin Pickard, remained solid enough to force Game 5 in the series after their 7-4 win.

The standout players

Edmonton Oilers

Forward: #97 Connor McDavid ended the game with 3 points (1G, 2A)
Defensemen: #2 Evan Bouchard ended the night with 2 goals
Goaltender: #30 Calvin Pickard had a save percentage of 0.862% after he saved 25 out of 29 shots on goal

LA Kings

Forwards: #9 Adrian Kempe (1G, 1A) and #12 Trevor Moore (1G, 1A) both ended the game with two points
Defensemen: #8 Drew Doughty ended the night with two points (1G, 1A)
Goaltender: #35 Darcy Kuemper had a save percentage of 0.835% after he saved 29 out of 34 shots on goal

Stats

The Oilers outshot the Kings (36 SOG vs. 29 SOG)
The Oilers delivered more hits than the Kings (39 hits vs. 31 hits)
The Oilers won more faceoffs than the Kings (59.3% vs 40.7%)
Both teams ended with a 100% power play success rate

SUMMARY: Overall, the Oilers’ win relied on their puck possession and physical play throughout this game. Their defense and goaltending during the latter half of the third period also greatly helped them to force Game 5 in this series against the Kings.

Upcoming Games

GAME 4