GAME RECAP: Oilers 6, Kings 3 (Game 5)

EDMONTON, AB - California, here we come.
Centre Nick Bjugstad recorded his first-career multi-goal playoff game, including the game-winner on a deflection during the second period, as the Edmonton Oilers earned the 6-3 victory in Game 5 at Rogers Place on Tuesday night to take a 3-2 series lead over the Los Angeles Kings heading into Saturday's pivotal Game 6 at Crypto.com Arena.
"We're not spending a lot of time in the penalty box like we were in the first few games of the series, and that's totally different," defenceman Brett Kulak said. "You're working your whole lineup, everyone's involved in the game, and everyone's legs are fresh, so it changes the dynamic of the game."
Evander Kane, Leon Draisaitl, Brett Kulak and Zach Hyman rounded out the scoring for Edmonton, while all three of Connor McDavid, Mattias Ekholm and Darnell Nurse had a pair of assists in the victory that saw 13 separate Oilers record points.
"That's why we're a good team, because we have so many guys that can put the puck in the net and create chances and goals for us," Draisaitl said. "It's great seeing those guys get on the board and just keep going."
Goaltender Stuart Skinner returned to the Oilers crease after being relieved by Jack Campbell to begin the second period of Edmonton's comeback victory in Game 4, making 25 saves on 28 shots on Tuesday in what was a steady bounce-back performance for the 23-year-old Calder Trophy candidate.
"That's what we expected. This is what we expected," Head Coach Jay Woodcroft said of his netminder. "That's the Stuart Skinner I've come to know over my time coaching him in the American League and in the NHL, and he played a good game and gave us a chance to win this game tonight."
After a three-day break in between action, the Oilers will look to close out the series in Game 6 on Saturday night back in Los Angeles.
"They're going to come out hard with their backs are against the wall, so it's going to be a tight-checking game," Draisaitl said. "We just have to make sure we're ready for that."

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OILERS TODAY | Post-Game 5 vs. LAK
POST-RAW | Coach Woodcroft
POST-RAW | Bjugstad & Skinner
POST-RAW | Brett Kulak
POST-RAW | Leon Draisaitl
POST-RAW | Zach Hyman
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FIRST BLOOD

After tying Game 4 late in regulation to force overtime, it was Evander Kane opening the scoring on Tuesday by making the most of minimal time left on Edmonton's opening power-play opportunity.
Being left with less than a half a minute to work with on the man advantage was no problem for Edmonton's second power-play unit after they were able to lift the Oilers to a one-goal lead with four seconds remaining on Carl Grundstrom's minor penalty for hooking Connor McDavid.
Kane dropped into the left cricle off a pass by Darnell Nurse and wired a wrist shot far side that struck the iron and rounded the inside of the net behind Joonas Korpisalo at 8:08 of the first period.
"I thought we got out of the gate quick and asserted the way we wanted the game to be played," Woodcroft said. "They punched back. They're a good team and we stuck with it and continued to put hard miles on their team and found goals up and down our lineup. So was I thought it was a well-played game."
Kane's third goal of the playoffs and Hyman's painful redirection later in the game as part of a 2-for-3 evening for Edmonton's power play improved their efficiency over their last 12 playoff games against the Kings to 15-for-33 (45.5 percent) and 8-for-14 in this series.
"It's scoring from all areas of your team, right? I think that's extremely important, and obviously, the power play has been a big factor," Hyman said. "We were able to get a couple of big ones tonight."

NO LET-OFF FROM LEON

Taking flight.
The phrase took on a double meaning 2:32 after Kane's opening tally when Leon Draisaitl flew through the air in front of the Kings net after burying the Oilers second goal that rocked Rogers Place to its core with the ensuing celebration.
As the pass came in front from the feed by McDavid behind the Kings net, the German took a cross-check in the back from Sean Durzi but still managed to keep enough balance to place a one-timer off the post that trickled over the goal line before he rolled onto the ice and lifted his arms in celebration for a two-goal Oilers lead 10:40 into the first period.

Prior to Kane's first-period goal, Draisaitl had been on the ice for each of the Oilers 14 goals in the series, which stands as the most goals to start a postseason than any other player since the NHL started tracking players in the ice during the 1959-60 season.
Over his last 34 games dating back to the regular season, Draisaitl has recorded an incredible 29 goals.

KEEPIN' THINGS KULAK

If there's one Oilers player who's deserved a goal this series, it's Brett Kulak.
The Kings cut the lead to 2-1 at 13:12 of the second period, but the pride of Parkland County got it right back a minute later for his first playoff goal for any team he's played for since 2014, when he was a member of the WHL's Vancouver Giants.
"I don't think I [remember that] at all," Kulak said post-game of his last playoff goal with a smile. "It felt good. You think about wanting to score a goal in the playoffs. No matter what time of the game or what the situation, playoff goals are always huge and I was excited to get that one."

Ryan McLeod came out from behind the Kings net and completed the perfect pass to Kulak, who was streaking in at the back post and fired a quick snap shot past the sliding Korpisalo for the Stony Plain product's much-deserved goal that restored Edmonton's two-goal lead.
"You want to keep pucks low. You don't want to get your shots blocked," Kulak said. "I didn't have a lane to the net, so I put one low for the forwards to go work for and they made a couple of nice little passing plays. It opened up and I crept down back door, and McLeod made a really nice pass to me."

HYMAN'S DURABILITY

Sometimes, making a play in the playoffs doesn't require an amazing dangle, a dreadly shot or an amazing save. It just takes sacriftice.
"You've got to get to that area, right?" Hyman said. "You get to that spot, pucks hit you, you find rebounds and score dirty goals. That's the way you score in playoffs."
Adrian Kempe flipped Los Angeles' second goal of the game over the left shoulder of Skinner late in the middle frame before Bjugstad's deflection at 11:49 of the second period pushed Edmonton's advantage back to a two-goal lead. Four minutes later, on the Oilers second power play of the night, Hyman put his body on the line to add extra breathing room for his team at his own personal (and painful) expense.
"Happened too quick, to be honest," Hyman recalled. "Luckily, Bouch didn't get all of it. If he got all of it, it probably wouldn't have gone where it went. I'll take that trade-off any day for a goal."

With the seconds winding down in Edmonton's second power play and the urgency going up, Evan Bouchard took a high shot towards goal that struck Hyman in the face before finding its way into the back of the net to mark one of the most painful goals Hyman's ever scored, but a goal nonetheless. They don't ask you how, just how many.
"You get a pretty goal here and there, but a lot of it is going to those tough areas, finding loose change, or I guess hitting you in the face and going in," Hyman said.
"I've gotten a bunch of [goals] off different parts of the body, but I think that's the first one off the face, though."

BJUGSTAD BURIES TWO

Bjugstad floated a pass off the rush towards the back post for Hyman just before the five-minute mark of the third period that hit a body on its way through and into the back of the net, making it 5-2 Edmonton.
The puck originally looked like it was bundled into the twine by the body of Hyman, but after inspection by the League, the tally was given to Bjugstad for his fourth-career playoff goal and first since the 2020-21 season as a member of the Minnesota Wild after it last touched an LA defender on its way through.

The 6-foot-6 centreman joined Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the second line in Game 5 and brought his steady two-way presence to the Oilers top six.
"Just a solid, big, strong guy and good face-off man who oesn't get scored against much," Hyman said. "He just plays the game the right way, and that was fun playing with him and Nuge tonight. He's a great player."

PARTING WORDS

Woodcroft on making the hard decisions, including returning Skinner to the crease and shuffling lines:
"That's what we do every day. That's coaching -- trying to make hard decisions. But like I said, I'm a lucky person and our staff is lucky because we have a lot of good players to choose from. The fingerprints are on our players. Our players were the ones that went out and executed at a very high level. They played the game with the physicality and pace that we want to play at and it was a big win for our team."
Woodcroft on the physical commitment by the Oilers in Game 5:
"Yeah, I think something that is underrated about the Edmonton Oilers is how physical our team is; how we play whistle-to-whistle. But we're prepared to invest and finish our checks, and we got a lot of big bodies, so when we do, we think it adds up over time and we're five games into this series so far."

Draisaitl on Edmonton being able to win a game in the series by multiple goals:
"That's good on the blood pressure. It feels good, but obviously. we're still one win away from advancing. So, rest up here a couple of days and then try and get it done."
"I think we're starting to maybe skate a little more. But again, we're still one win away here, so rest up and regroup."
Hyman on more Oilers being able to contribute with goals in Game 5:
"We're five games in now, so you don't score every game in hockey as much as you want to, right? You just have to keep doing what [Woodcroft's] saying in the analogy of pounding at the rock -- just keep doing the right process, pounding of the rock, and then it'll go in bunches and then other guys score. That's kind of the way that you win in playoff hockey."
Hyman on Kulak's strong play in Game 5 and this series:
"I thought Kuley had an unbelievable game. I thought he was skating, using his legs, and obviously the offensive read to jump in there and an amazing pass by Clouder. So, great to see that line get rewarded and they've been playing great all series."
Kulak on having more willingness to jump into the play from the blueline:
"Not something I'm thinking about doing, but I'm focused on wanting to follow up the play regardless. We talked earlier this morning just about habits, and I think it's important to work up the ice with the forwards quick. If worst case you don't get the puck offensively, then you have a tight gap coming back on the defensive side of things. So I think it's a case of that and then reading and reacting a little bit. We've got lots of good players who make good plays with the puck, so you want to be ready for very opportunity."