PROJECTED LINEUP: Oilers at Kings (Game 4)

LOS ANGELES, CA – When the puck drops at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday for Game 4 between the Oilers and Kings, it’ll be Derek Ryan’s turn to jump into the lineup and bring his best to the Blue & Orange’s already burgeoning penalty kill from the fourth-line centre role.

“Yeah, I feel good,” said the veteran forward after the pre-game skate on Sunday. “It was my job to stay ready and stay prepared to go in and I’m excited for the opportunity, excited to be back with the guys and get to play.”

Head Coach Kris Knoblauch will make a like-for-like swap between Ryan and Sam Carrick on the fourth line as the only change for Edmonton following his team’s 6-1 victory in Game 3, hoping that injecting one of their fresh bodies into the lineup will give the OIlers some extra juice for their chance to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round series with the Kings.

“I think both players give us a different element,” the bench boss said. “I think they're both very good hockey players. Both have been playing really well the last couple of weeks.

“I just feel it could maybe give us a little more energy. Fresh legs, that's all. Derek is playing tonight and he has been playing very well for us the past couple of months and it was difficult not having him in the lineup.”

Like Carrick, Ryan will be relied upon to be defensively sound on the fourth line, contribute to the Oilers’ penalty kill that's been successful through their first three games, and win important faceoffs for his side when the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are on the bench.

The penalty kill continues to tick along after going 5-for-5 in Game 3 to make it 10 consecutive kills to begin the series, and Ryan has observed over the first three games his fellow penalty-killers ability to dig in and commit to the structure they’ve put in place under Assistant Coach Mark Stuart.

“I think the guys have done a really good job running their routes to perfection, good sticks, taking away a lot of their options they're looking for,” Ryan said. “When you have a PK that can skate and push you, it makes it harder.”

On the other side, Kings Head Coach Jim Hiller announced a change in goal with David Rittich set to take the crease for Game 3.

Rittich replaces Cam Talbot after the former Oiler of four seasons posted a 5.31 goals-against average and .891 save percentage in the first three games for the Kings – letting in 13 goals in Edmonton’s two victories in Games 1 & 3.

Rittich has made only two playoff appearances in his career – both in relief with the Flames and Predators – and went 1-1-0 against the Oilers during the regular season with a 2.04 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and a shutout in those two games.

“The most important thing is how we play; how we respond,” Knoblauch said. “From our last game, obviously we would like to continue winning and get a big lead on this.

“In the series, we noted some tendencies of how he plays and where he could be vulnerable or maybe exposed. But yeah, that might give us a little bit of an advantage on the shooters. But both their goalies are very capable, good-quality goaltenders. We need to play our best.”

View the Oilers Projected Lineup for Game 4 vs. the Kings:

Henrique - McDavid - Hyman
Nugent-Hopkins - Draisaitl - Foegele
Kane - McLeod - Perry
Holloway - Ryan - Janmark

Ekholm - Bouchard
Nurse - Ceci
Kulak - Desharnais

Skinner
Pickard