With the uptick in goals for the Kings, the team also found their groove defensively after a feeling out process to begin the season. Following a 9-8 overtime loss to the Seattle Kraken on November 29th, the Kings called up Phoenix Copley from the AHL's Ontario Reign to settle things down in net. From then on, the Kings ranked 12th in the NHL in goals against per game (2.88).
The Kings defense will be put to the test immediately entering the playoffs as they are set to go up against a red hot Oilers team that is 14-0-1 in their last 15 games and ranks first in the NHL in offense. Averaging 3.96 goals per game, the Oilers also have a plethora of double-digit goalscorers; 13 to be exact. Led by no other than Connor McDavid, the all-world talent notched 153 points (64-89=153) during the regular season, becoming the first player in the NHL since Mario Lemieux in the 1995-96 season to reach the 150-point mark in a season. While McDavid led the league in goals, assists and points, he isn't the only offensive threat on the Oilers. Right by his side is Leon Draisaitl who ranked second in the NHL in points with 128 (52-76=128). Draistail, who was just voted by his peers as the NHL's best passer reached the 100-point mark for the fourth time in five season with the one outlier being an 84-point year in 56 games due to the shortened 2021-22 pandemic season set a career high is assists with 76.
The Oilers offense doesn't stop there either, as the opposition also had two more players hit the 30-goal mark in Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (37) and Zach Hyman.
