PREVIEW: Oilers vs. Kings

The Edmonton Oilers host the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night in the third game of a five-game homestand at Rogers Place.

You can watch the game on Sportsnet at 7:30 p.m. MT or listen live on the Oilers Radio Network, including 630 CHED.

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PREVIEW: Oilers vs. Kings

EDMONTON, AB – After going 4-5-1 since the All-Star Break, the Edmonton Oilers are looking to continue working themselves out of a difficult stretch on Monday when they continue their five-game homestand at Rogers Place against the Los Angeles Kings.

"I think just learning from our mistakes," goaltender Stuart Skinner said. "This could be the best thing for our group just heading down the stretch learning how not to have the stretches that we're having right now, where we're not doing our thing. And that starts with me."

The Oilers netminder has proven this season that he’s better than his recent record has shown, including his .865 save percentage and 4.02 goals-against average in his last seven starts, but the Edmonton product’s play between the pipes is only one of the many different facets of his team's collective game that are in a bit of a lull after looking untouchable for the better part of their incredible 16-game win streak that from Dec. 21, 2023 to Feb. 6, 2024.

“It's hard both ways because I still got a job to do, and I’m still fighting to make saves either side,” Skinner added. “But I think either way, it starts with me. Either way, I’ve got saves to make and I'm not doing that as of right now.

“My goals against average the last two games feels like 100, but that's just kind of the way it's been going right now. It's just kind of recalibrating and refocusing on when things were going well through that 16-game stretch.”

Throughout an 82-game NHL season, there will be plenty of peaks and valleys in performance for the Oilers to navigate – characterized by the extreme highs of a 16-game win streak and the lowest lows of a 2-9-1 start to the season – and this most recent down spell since the All-Star Break for the Blue & Orange is just the latest stretch of adversity they'll have to come out of to put themselves on track to play their best hockey in April, May and June.

“We're getting closer to playoffs and we're still fighting for a spot, so we have to learn that we can't just flip it on and think we're going to win every game in the third period,” said forward Zach Hyman, who now owns a team-leading 37 goals. “You have to start on time. You have to play the right way throughout the entire game. Obviously, we know how to do that. We've proven it this year, so it’s just a matter of getting back to work and being consistent with it.”

Edmonton is coming off a 6-3 defeat in the Battle of Alberta on Saturday – their first defeat to their provincial rivals in four meetings – that marked their third straight loss (0-2-1) and their sixth in their last 10 games since putting together a 16-game win streak that came one shy of tying the NHL record.

Saturday’s defeat on Hockey Night in Canada for the Oilers was the third time they allowed six goals during the month of February, where they’ve also given up an NHL-high 42 goals over 10 games for an average of 2.7 more goals against than in comparison to before they assembled their record win streak.

Zach Hyman had two goals to get the Oilers back to within a goal of the Flames, down 3-2 midway through the second period, but their lack of defensive details, discipline and a few extra saves from Skinner contributed to their downfall against their divisional and provincial rivals.

"It wasn't going well, but man, we were we fighting out there. Literally and figuratively," Skinner said. "We were grinding and we never gave up, which is really important for this group. No matter if it's 10-0 for the other team, the guys in here, we don't give up. But for myself personally, I think it's just managing the emotions of it. You do feel frustrated with the results, but ultimately, I can't do anything about it now. But what I can do is look back on what I can do to improve and to help this team to win."

Head Coach Kris Knoblauch has seen his team navigate this difficult stretch with the purpose of making the right plays, but wants to see his team get back to whats made them successful during his time behind the bench begginning on Monday with another difficult Pacific Division test against Los Angeles.

The Kings shut out the Oilers 4-0 in their last meeting on Feb. 10, which was also Head Coach Jim Hiller's first game as bench boss for the Black & Silver. Since then, Under his leadership, the Kings are 6-2-0 and level on points with Edmonton for the third spot in the Pacific Division despite one less game played.

"I think we have good intentions and it's not that we're taking shortcuts, but I think we're just a little bit lethargic, a little bit slow to close plays and it's just leading to them giving a little more room and space to make those. And yeah, I think that's the biggest thing. And then also through that stretch, the winning stretch, our goaltending was outstanding. Like, they covered up a lot of mistakes. So our defensive play was better, but so was our goaltending. And right now both can better.