The Los Angeles Kings beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-0 on Monday night in Alberta. With the win, Los Angeles clinched home-ice advantage in the first-round series between these teams. But the story from the game was about Darnell Nurse and his cross-check on Quinton Byfield. After the win, Kings center Phillip Danault called out the Oilers and their intentions for Monday’s game.
“I think they just have their B squad in trying to hurt us,” Danualt told the media, per TSN. Oilers forward Corey Perry responded, “What do you want us to do? Did he not look at what’s happened over the last couple weeks? Like, what do you want us to do? We’re not out there to hurt anybody.”
Perry is referencing the Oilers’ recent bouts with injury, namely to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Their struggles without the two stars paved the path for the Kings to snag home-ice advantage.
Darnell Nurse was issued a major penalty and a game misconduct for cross-checking Quinton Byfield. pic.twitter.com/J7yFs492ce
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 15, 2025
Nurse grappled with Byfield in a net-front scrum, and the young center was injured on the play. The Oilers defenseman was ejected from the game, and the Kings were awarded a five-minute power play. They did not score on the man advantage.
This will be the fourth straight year the Kings and Oilers play in the first round. They are doing everything to ensure the rivalry doesn’t go stale.
The Kings-Oilers tale of the tape
In each of the last three seasons, the Oilers have beaten the Kings in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In 2022, Edmonton won in seven games. The next year, it only took six games. And last year, they dispatched the Kings in just five games on their way to the Stanley Cup Final.
Despite the poor playoff past, the Kings have to have a little bit of faith for this matchup. Not only could Nurse get suspended for the beginning of the series, but Mattias Ekholm will not play in the series. Without their top defenseman on the ice, it will be difficult for Edmonton to keep Los Angeles at bay. Additionally, Stuart Skinner’s numbers have declined this season.
The Kings made some big moves after last year’s playoff failure. They sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Washington Capitals for Darcy Kuemper, who has been excellent as their goalie. And they brought Warren Foegele in after a run with the Oilers. Despite previous failures, the Kings can beat the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
