GAME RECAP: Oilers 4, Kings 2 (Game 6)

LOS ANGELES, CA - From having their backs against the wall facing elimination, to heading back to Edmonton with a chance to win the series on home ice at Rogers Place on Saturday night.
The Edmonton Oilers extended their Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings in Game 6 on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena, with Evander Kane recording two goals and an assist and Connor McDavid posting a goal and two helpers to help tie this first-round series at 3-3 and send us to a Game 7 on Saturday night back in Oil Country.
Defenceman Tyson Barrie scored the all-important go-ahead goal for the Edmonton Oilers with 5:10 left in regulation, and the penalty kill came up with a game-defining stop before Kane added insurance with an empty-netter.

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FIRST BLOOD

An early goal from none other than McDavid got us started on the right foot.
McDavid steamed up the ice and worked a give-and-go at the blueline with Kane, who sauced it back to the captain to burn wide on Kings defenceman Sean Durzi. When the lane to the net was closed off, McDavid carried his speed around the net and wrapped an effort around the net and under the pad of the sliding Jonathan Quick to open the scoring just 1:40 into the contest.
"It's amazing. You all get to see what he does every night as far as the skills and the goals," Barrie said. "He set the tone early for us, but you can see his battle level, he's doing everything right. You can tell how bad he wants this. We're lucky to have him on our side and we need to get one more win for him."
The team that's scored first has now won all six games of the series.

EVANDER DOUBLES THE LEAD

After Kane's shot far side was denied on a 2-on-1 with McDavid early in the second period, the puck came back up to the blueline and across to Brett Kulak, who fired an effort on goal that was deflected twice on its way through as Kane got the crucial touch in front to get it past Quick to double Edmonton's lead at 2-0.
"That's part of my job. I've always been counted on to produce," Kane said. "I've done it my whole career. In the playoffs, everyone wants to raise their level and game. Guys are doing that and I'm no different."

SAVE OF THE GAME

Quick had Mikey Anderson to thank with six-and-a-half minutes gone in the middle frame when Kulak's shot from up top trickled through behind the Kings netminder. But before Draisaitl could get his paddle to the puck for a tap-in, the defender in black and white leaped into the crease to make the vital clearance at the last moment. Crisis averted for the Kings.

SOFT CARL

The Olympic event for Diving was back in Tokyo during the Summer of 2020, Carl.
Carl Grundstrom did an incredible job selling a soft cross-checking penalty to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in front of Edmonton's crease, sending Los Angeles to their third powerplay of the game that the Kings capitalized on when Sean Durzi's shot from the point found its way through traffic past a visionless Mike Smith with 6:01 on the board before the second intermission.
Just 29 seconds after the puck dropped on the third period, Grundstrom took a pass from Matt Roy in the slot and tied the game at 2-2 with a shot over the blocker of Smith.
"We gave one up early and it was back to 0-0," Barrie said. "I think we did a good job of not turning it into a track meet. We stayed patient and tried to wear them down. They had some looks and so did we. It came down to the last five minutes, so I think we did a good job at not getting down on us."

PICKIN' BARRIES

The Tyson Barrie bush bears its first fruit of the playoffs at the most important time of the season.
McDavid came into the LA zone and fed Draisaitl to drop a pass to Barrie, who had all the time he needed to walk in and pick his side with a snipe that marked the go-ahead goal for Edmonton with 5:10 left in regulation. That would stand as the game-winning goal before Kane broke away with the net empty and one minute on the clock and provided insurance with his second of the game.
"I saw the turnover and we were headed the other way," he said. "For whatever reason, there was a big gap between me and Leon and I just thought I could jump in and make it an odd-man. He made a nice little sauce and I got lucky to beat Quick there. He's been playing great and he was so far out."

TIME TO KILL NOW, FOLKS

When they needed it most, the Oilers penalty kill provided.
Kailer Yamamoto was handed a kneeing penalty with less than four minutes remaining, giving the home Kings the chance to equalize and even pull Quick for the extra attacker to make it 6-on-4. The penalty kill stood strong with what surely is its most-important stop of the season, led by some composed and collected saves by Mike Smith and leading to Kane getting away from pressure at the blueline to bury the insurance marker and guarantee that the Oilers would get the opportunity to win the series at home in Game 7 on Saturday night at Rogers Place.
"It's going to be juicy," Kane said, looking ahead to Saturday's atmosphere.

PARTING WORDS

Kane on how the team battled through to force a Game 7:
"We got off to a good start finally in this series. That was big for us. We knew they were going to push. Obviously, the third period didn't start off the way we wanted to but this group has shown all year that we stick with it and not get discouraged. We knew we could get one and had to make sure it was the next one. We did a good job of that and are bringing it home for seven."
Kane on McDavid's play early in the game:
"Everybody did a great job of getting their legs going. When Connor is skating like that, he's really tough to handle and you saw that in the opening couple of minutes. He had a nice burst of speed up the ice and was able to tuck in the wraparound. He's been great all season and we're going to need him in Game 7."
Kane on Los Angeles coming back to tie and the Oilers mindset on the bench:
"We're in good shape. It's a 2-2 hockey game in the third period in Game 6, I like our chances to score quite a bit. We got some calls that didn't go our way and had to make some big penalty kills late in the game. Our killers did a good job and Smitty was really big for us."
Kane on playing in and winning an elimination game:
"It builds confidence. There are guys that have been in this situation before and there are guys who haven't. To get this experience and for it to be a positive one is a good feeling we had a tough break the other night. We narrowed the focus and focused on the one game and didn't worry about the outside noise. Everybody put their best foot forward and had a solid team effort."

Kane on playing the whole game without Darnell Nurse:
"The guys did a great job. Nurse is a staple back there for us and having him out is definitely tough. We've played some good games back there as a group of seven, and I thought the guys did a great job. Obviously, Tyson jumping up on the rush and scoring a huge goal for the group is the cherry on top."
Barrie on how his game-winning goal developed and the feelings of scoring:
"It was nice, but there were still five minutes left though. We took a penalty and they were pouring it on pretty good. You've watched all the games of the playoffs, and you can't take your foot off the gas. It can change quickly. It was a great job by us in a big game and we're sending it back to Edmonton."
Barrie on the demeanour on the bench after LA tied the game:
"We've been doing it all year. Adversity, this is no different. We knew we had to have a good game tonight, we gave it back to them a bit, but we found a way to get one and it shows a lot of character in that group. Now we got home ice and we're heading back to Game 7 and I think the boys are pretty pumped."
Barrie on Draisaitl battling through his injury:
"That's what he does. He makes those plays in his sleep. He's a talented guy and one of the best passers if you'll see. We're not disclosing whether it's the lower or upper body so I don't know what you're talking about (said facetiously). I thought he was great tonight and he battled. It was nice to see him involved in the winner."

Barrie on what he expects on Saturday night for Game 7:
"I can't wait. The fans have been amazing all year. All playoffs, you guys have seen the crowds and what they've gotten up to. It's going to be bonkers in there. We can't wait to get on the ice for Game 7."
"I think Game 1 maybe was the only time we were a little nervous. We've settled in now. Give them credit, they've played a couple of good games in our rink. We want to be at home for this one, and we want that rink rocking like it will be."
Barrie on playing without Darnell Nurse in the lineup:
"You can't replace Nursey, but we were keeping it simple. We weren't taking unnecessary risks and we were staying above our checks. Everyone is competing. There's no secret, every shift counts, every little play, and that was the mindset."
Woodcroft on his views of the game from behind the bench:
"It was an exciting game. Our players really dug in and found a way to win the game and that's the most important thing."
Woodcroft on fighting through tough penalty calls to win the game:
"You guys watched the game. I would say a really good coaching mentor of mine once told me that there are only a few jobs in hockey: one is a player, one is a manager, one is a coach, and one is a ref. I coach, and that's my job."
Woodcroft on the influence of McDavid in Edmonton's start to the game:
"I can't say enough about Connor McDavid. His play speaks for itself; it's otherworldly. In terms of the start to the game, we did some things and the shifts weren't long. We did some things to help us, and he was the leader in us doing what we needed in that first little bit in the third period."

Woodcroft on Draisaitl gutting through pain and pressure in the game:
"He's a warrior, I don't worry about him. He ended up making the play on the winning goal, and it was a good win for us."
Woodcroft on the demeanour of the club after allowing the tying goal:
"Calm. Composed. We knew that we have the horses on the bench to get the job done. For me, I thought there was a really good tempo and rhythm in the way we wanted to play. I thought we had the bulk of the chances. We ended up on the kill four times I think tonight, but I think the bulk of their chances occurred there. So for us, we felt we did a lot of really good stuff and we stuck with it. We were persistent, kept hammering away at the rock and eventually it split."
Woodcroft on the emotion of the group and Kane flashing seven after the empty-netter:
"He must not have liked the celebration in our building after they had scored. I think Evander plays with emotion and he's looking forward to the next game."
Woodcroft on what he tells the group heading into Game 7:
"You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to go enjoy this my coaching staff and players for about the next 10 minutes and then we're parking it. We're parking it and we're going to try and travel the best we can, recover the best we can, and prepare the best we can for a big game."
Woodcroft on preparing for the energy of Rogers Place on Saturday night in Game 7:
"I think our players have played three games in that building in this playoff run. We know what to expect, we've been a good home team all year, and we're looking forward to bringing that game in Game 7."