PRE-GAME REPORT: Oilers vs Kings (Game 7)

The Edmonton Oilers play a deciding Game 7 in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Place on Saturday night.
You can watch the game on Sportsnet and CBC or listen live on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED.
Video: OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game 7 vs LAK 05.14.22

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS
GAME DAY VIDEO
OILERS TODAY | Pre-Game 7 vs. LAK
PRE-GAME RAW | Coach Woodcroft
PRE-GAME RAW | Nurse & McDavid
THE OTHER SIDE | Kings Coach Todd McLellan
RECENT VIDEOS
HOTEL | Mike Smith
HOTEL | Coach Jay Woodcroft
OILERS TODAY | Post-Game at LAK
FULL HIGHLIGHTS | EDM 4, LAK 2
BY THE NUMBERS
Oilers Statistics
Kings Statistics
Stats Comparison
Game Notes
RECENT BLOGS & ARTICLES
BLOG: Oilers excited for a 'juicy' Game 7
BLOG: Friday's travel day
RELEASE: McDavid finalist for Lindsay award
VIEWING INFORMATION
You can watch Saturday's game on Sportsnet or CBC at 8:00 PM MT.
News and notes from the Oilers travel day availabilities on Friday where Head Coach Jay Woodcroft and goaltender Mike Smith spoke to the media prior to the Oilers returning to Edmonton ahead of Game 7.
**>> READ MORE IN THE INSIDE THE OILERS BLOG**
EDMONTON, AB - Game 7. The stuff of dreams.
Growing up playing the game in the streets or at the local rink with fantasies of suiting up and winning an elimination game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it will become either a reality or a missed opportunity at Rogers Place tonight for the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.
After the Oilers extended their playoff lives in Game 6 with a 4-2 victory in the hostile territory of Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night, they'll have to channel that win-or-go-home scenario into another elimination game to get the job done on Saturday night and advance to the Second Round.
Unlike the last game of this tightly-contested series, they'll have the opportunity to do it on home ice.
The Oilers and Kings have gone punch-for-punch over the previous six games in the series, with the team scoring first winning every one. It's only fitting that this seven-game battle will come down to the final contest and be decided by which team can do enough in the little areas to push themselves over the edge and continue their run to the Stanley Cup.
"You keep seeing the same team every other night," Head Coach Jay Woodcroft said. "It's almost like you know what they eat for breakfast. Your preparation is at the granular level. It's about making sure that we're clear-headed and that we're physically and mentally prepared to play.
"We have a strong belief in our own game and our ability to meet challenges."
The pressure of playing in a win-or-go-home atmosphere of Game 7 doesn't detract from the fact that it's still a normal hockey game with the same boxes that need to be checked if it were a regular-season contest. Thursday's experience in Game 6 steels Edmonton's resolve and reinforces their belief in their ability to come out ahead on home ice in this all-important series decider.
Video: PRE-RAW | Connor McDavid, Darnell Nurse 05.14.22
"It doesn't feel too much different than a regular game day," Connor McDavid, who leads the NHL in playoff scoring with three goals and nine assists, said pre-game. "It's obviously a big game for our group and do-or-die again, something that we just faced there in LA, so it's something that we're comfortable with. We're looking for a big game."
"Obviously you get excited, but our approach is just like any other day. I think obviously there's a lot on the line, but in the same token it's just hockey. We played with our lives on the line in Game 6 and this one is no different. Just have to go out there and approach it like another game and play the way we can."
Defenceman Darnell Nurse served his one-game suspension watching the Oilers keep their season alive in Game 6, and the blueliner is relishing the opportunity to return to the lineup and make an impact with the season on the line once again.
"We just played a really good and composed game," he said. "There were ebbs and flows to the game, there were ups and downs, and our team just kind of stuck to our game and continued to play the way that we're capable of. That's a good sign and it just gave us life for one more game, and now it's another test in front of us."
Emotions and expectations are high, but the Oilers in the eyes of their head coach understand the challenge and know what they have to do to be successful in another elimination game.
"We realize that the challenge before us is complex, we think we're up for it," Woodcroft said. "We have a strong faith in ourselves and we have a clear understanding of what makes us a good team and we want to play towards that identity."
HARNESS THE ENERGY
How each player chooses to deal with what will be an energy-charged Rogers Place for Game 7 tonight will come from years of experience.
Over the countless games of experience over their careers -- from minor hockey to junior hockey to the professional ranks -- players will have learned how they best deal with the atmosphere and expectations. It'll be important to handle your own emotions to best help your team perform in a pressure moment.
"It goes guy-to-guy. If you're a guy that feeds off the crowd's energy then use it, but if you're a guy that likes to keep it a bit quieter in your head, then quiet it down," McDavid said. "It's going to be loud.
"You certainly hear the fans] that's for sure. But ultimately, we've played thousands of games of hockey before. We've played games in front of no fans in here before, we've played games in front of packed houses, so it's just hockey. You still have to make your plays and play the game."
To Woodcroft, every bit of adversity faced by the Oilers over the last three months since he arrived in Oil Country has led to being able to perform in these types of moments. Beyond tonight, these challenges in elimination games and Game 7's are part of the path to becoming something even bigger.
[Video: PRE-RAW | Jay Woodcroft 05.14.22
"I think it's how you frame it," Woodcroft said. "For us, the way we're looking at this game tonight is what a great opportunity it is. We've worked the last three months to make sure that we were getting a little bit better each day. In order to get to where you want to get to, you have to get through moments like this and we're embracing that."
Playing in a ravenous hockey market like Edmonton is not for the faint of heart with the expectations to perform in these types of moments where you have the opportunity to close out a series in front of your own fans.
After the Kings couldn't do it themselves on Thursday, the Oilers are looking at the chance to reward their exceptional fanbase and using it as a motivator.
"I think I used the word opportunity," Woodcroft said. "I was reading some clips of their players after Game 6 and they mentioned how 'closing out on home ice' might have got into their heads. Those are their words but you'd have to look that up.
"In terms of us and how we're looking at things, we think it's a privilege to play for our fanbase. We think it's a privilege to be a proud Canadian franchise and we're excited about the opportunity to win a game out here on home ice."
LINEUP NOTES
Nurse will be back in the Oilers lineup after serving his one-game suspension and was proud to see his teammates extend their season and give him the opportunity to contribute in the all-important deciding Game 7.
"I'm excited to be back here for Game 7," he said. "The guys had a huge game there in LA and extended our lives one more day, so I'm excited to get playing tonight."
Video: THE OTHER SIDE | Todd McLellan 05.14.22
Leon Draisaitl and Brett Kulak did not take part in Saturday's morning skate, and Coach Woodcroft would not provide any lineup notes in his morning media avail due to teams keeping their details close to their chest in the post-season.
"The other day we were in LA and I think I said how I liked how eloquently Todd [McLellan] put it from their practice facility that it's just that time of year," he said to the media. "Not commenting on lineups or anything like that -- it's just that time of the year. I thought it was really well-put by Todd."
-- Jamie Umbach, EdmontonOilers.com
OILERS vs. KINGS
STREAM: 8:00 p.m. MT; televised on Sportsnet West
Oilers Team Scope
One win down for the Oilers, one more to go.
Edmonton was able to stave off elimination in Los Angeles in Game 6 on the backs of some of their big guns. In the win-or-go-home contest, Head Coach Jay Woodcroft stacked the deck, pairing Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid together for much of the game to excellent results.
McDavid led the way for the Oilers, opening the scoring 1:40 into the game with a wraparound goal on Jonathan Quick. The captain would finish the night level with Evander Kane with three points while amassing 24:02 time-on-ice and six shots on goal. McDavid leads the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in six games.
Draisaitl appeared to be hampered by an injury sustained from a reckless takedown by Kings defenceman Mikey Anderson. Despite the hindrance, Draisatil would eventually set up the game-winning goal by Tyson Barrie later in the game.
After jumping ahead to a 2-0 lead in the second period courtesy of an Evander Kane tip, the Oilers almost made it a three-goal advantage on a goal from Kane again. The tally was immediately waved off after it was judged that Zach Hyman bumped into Jonathan Quick while he was engaged with a Kings defender.
The Kings took advantage of the lucky break, scoring a few minutes later on the powerplay to get on the board. Los Angeles tied the game less than 30 seconds into the final period, but the Oilers did not let doubt creep into their mind.
Barrie's goal with five minutes left in the game and a Kane empty-netter sealed the deal for the Oilers to send the series back to Rogers Place for a deciding Game 7.
The Oilers were able to get the road win without their defensive pace setter Darnell Nurse, who was out serving a one-game suspension. It is expected that Nurse will be back to bolster the Oilers defensive lineup in the series finale. Mike Smith stopped 30 of 32 shots in the victory and leads all playoff netminders in saves during the post-season with 215 in the series' six games.
Video: PRE-RAW | Connor McDavid, Darnell Nurse 05.14.22
Kings Team Scope
Los Angeles will take another kick at the can to upset the Oilers in their first-round series. If the Kings are able to accomplish that, they will have to do it in front of a rowdy Rogers Place crowd. So far in the series, the Kings have been able to navigate the noise and atmosphere successfully, winning two of three games (Game 1 and Game 5) in Edmonton.
The California team has been paced offensively by their regular-season goal leader Adrian Kempe, who has two goals and six points in the series, and Phillip Danault who has five points.
Danault has been a thorn in the Oilers side throughout the series with his tight-checking and agitating gameplay. The Victoriaville, Que. product leads all Kings players with a plus-six rating so far.
Jonathan Quick's numbers in the series would not be considered impressive at first glance, the netminder has a 3.66 goals-against-average and a .893 save percentage in his six starts, but he has shown a penchant for making huge saves when it matters. The goaltender will likely start his 92nd consecutive playoff game for Los Angeles when the puck drops on Saturday night in Edmonton.
Video: PRE-RAW | Jay Woodcroft 05.14.22
By The Numbers
The Oilers are 6-4 all-time in Game 7's in the Stanley Cup Playoffs… The Oilers last Game 7 in Edmonton was their Campbell Conference matchup against the Winnipeg Jets back in 1990… Edmonton defeated the Jets 4-1 in that game to win the series… The Oilers and Kings played a Game 7 against each other back in 1989, and the Oilers lost the game 6-3… Derick Brassard leads the Oilers in Game 7 experience with eight career games…
The Kings are 7-4 all-time in Game 7's… Los Angeles is 61.1 per cent on the penalty kill in the series, a number that would be the lowest in the franchise's history… If Evander Kane scores on Saturday, he will tie Mark Messier for the second-most goals in a playoff series in Oilers history with eight… Edmonton is 3-0 when Kane scores a goal in the series…
Injury Report
OILERS - Oscar Klefbom (shoulder) is on IR; Kyle Turris (back) is on IR.
KINGS - Drew Doughty (wrist) is on IR; Sean Walker (torn ACL/MCL) is on IR; Viktor Arvidsson (undisclosed) is day-to-day.
-- Michael Arcuri, EdmontonOilers.com