Edmonton Oilers v Los Angeles Kings — 4 takeaways as the Edmonton Oilers get shut out 4-0 by the Los Angeles Kings

4 takeaways as the Edmonton Oilers get shut out 4-0 by the Los Angeles Kings

Modified Feb 11, 2024 19:03 GMT

The Edmonton Oilers got shut out for the second time this season, dropping a 4-0 decision to the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena. After a historic win streak ended on Tuesday, Edmonton must find a way to keep momentum on their side during the second half of the season.

Meanwhile, the Kings just brought on a new coach, and the team responded in a big way with a win on Saturday night. So, as these two teams continue to chase down playoff spots in the Western Conference, let's discuss a few takeaways from their most recent meeting.

4 takeaways as the Edmonton Oilers get shut out 4-0 by the Los Angeles Kings

#1. The Oilers were not going to win out the rest of the regular season

After the Oilers set a franchise record with 16 consecutive wins, many believed the team was finally living up to its potential and would be a shoo-in to win the Stanley Cup in June. Despite being the NHL's best team since November, with a 27-8-0 record, there is no way they would keep up the pace down the stretch.

Since returning from the All-Star break, Edmonton almost went 0-3-0 instead of 1-2-0, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights, barely beating the Anaheim Ducks and getting shut out by the Kings on Saturday. On paper, the Golden Knights and Kings are better teams, and the Ducks are one of the worst statistics teams, giving the Oilers an easy win they barely secured.

As many people have pointed out on social media, Edmonton may have won 16 games, but most were wins against far weaker opponents. So now, pressed into action against the defending champions, stronger teams are exposing cracks in the Oilers' armor that a team like the San Jose Sharks would never be able to achieve.

#2. Edmonton still has lineup concerns

Although Zach Hyman is the only player with 30 goals, the Oilers still rely on Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to get the team points and victories. Only seven skaters have reached double digits in goals, while McDavid has an 11-point lead over Draisaitl in overall scoring.

After those two, there's another 12-point gap between two and three, followed by another 12-point gap from fourth to sixth. Between the top spot (71 points) and the sixth spot (32) is a difference of 39 points, which isn't a recipe for success in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Additionally, Stuart Skinner earned a rare loss on Saturday night in his 36th game, which makes him the seventh busiest goalie in the NHL. Like the names before him on the list, none of them have won a Stanley Cup, so playing so much in the regular season runs a goalie down and doesn't allow him to be as sharp for the playoff drive.

Many believe the Oilers will be buyers at the deadline because if they are being honest with themselves, there are still plenty of areas to improve, despite their recent success.

#3. The Kings impress in their first game under a new coach

The Kings began the year by tying an NHL record for consecutive road wins. However, since suffering that first defeat on Dec. 9, they have been in a complete freefall, producing an 8-11-7 record. Additionally, they got outscored during this stretch by a 79-67 margin.

Before the All-Star Game, the Kings fired Todd McLellan, promoting Jim Hiller to the interim head coach position. After a week and a half to prepare, the Kings played their first game with their new bench boss and responded to the change with a dominant 4-0 win.

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It was a complete team effort, with several players collecting points, while netminder David Rittich stood on his head to make 26 saves. Even though it is a small sample size of 60 minutes, the Kings look like a completely different team, quickly shutting down what is arguably the hottest squad in the NHL.

#4. The Western Conference playoff race is going to be entertaining

The Oilers have been trying all season to get back into the playoff race and now find themselves with a lofty spot in the Pacific Division standings. However, the gap between Edmonton and Los Angeles is three points after Saturday night.

Out of all six divisional playoff teams, the Oilers currently have the least amount of points at 61 and face pressure from the Kings (58 points) and the red-hot Calgary Flames (55 points). If Edmonton drops back into the wild-card race, seven teams are within eight points of the wild-card spot.

Ultimately, the only saving grace for the Oilers is that they have played the least number of games (48) out of any team in the NHL. Although this means they will catch up at some point, they may have a game or two left when everyone is done, which could factor into playoff positioning in the Western Conference.