#LAKings Kings get needed extended rest before Game 6 with Edmonton (Daily News)
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EDMONTON, Alberta Its an unusual thing in the NHL playoffs to have four days between games partly because of the NBA schedule but if its a good thing for anybody, its the Kings.
In their first-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, theyve been getting a lot of mileage out of longtime stars Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty.
The Kings just cant flat out compete against the Oilers unless they have Kopitar and Doughty at their best. With Edmonton holding a 3-2 series lead after Tuesday night’s 6-3 victory, Game 6 is Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, giving the Kings three full days off between games to let them recharge their batteries.
The wear and tear on Doughty was noticeable, even visible from up high in the press box after he blocked a shot by Connor McDavid with 5:45 remaining in the second period and hobbled back to the bench.
Doughty is averaging 28 minutes, 17 seconds of ice time in the playoffs, second to only Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (29:10). Doughty’s ice time in Game 5 was a series low for him but still 25:24.
The series narrative often shifts in such a hard-fought round and as recently as when the Kings were leading the series 2-1, the talk was about how well they were playing defensively. But the Oilers scored 11 goals in the next two games, taking their high-powered offense to another level.
Just like that, the Kings are facing elimination. But the one thing theyve been good at is maintaining a narrow focus. Win one game Saturday the Game 6 start time has yet to be announced and the series morphs into a roll-of-the-dice, winner-take-all Game 7 showdown Monday.
Now they have additional time to hatch a game plan between now and Game 6.
The Oilers made an important strategic change earlier in the series that really paid off loading up with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the top line, and later cobbled together an effective second line in Game 5 on what was left over, featuring Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nick Bjugstad and Zach Hyman. The Oilers have had five high-end forwards and were searching for a sixth and found that in Bjugstad at the trade deadline in a deal with Arizona. On Tuesday, Bjugstad moved up in the lineup, scored twice and was a plus-two in 16:41 of ice time.
The Kings made an important change themselves in the first period, dropping Quinton Byfield down to the third line and elevating Alex Iafallo. Byfield struggled in a significant way defensively in the first period of Game 5, unable to keep up against the Oilers high-end talent. Maybe its too early in his career to expect success that high in the lineup.
Still, there was an immediate difference when Iafallo joined Kopitar and Adrian Kempe on the top line. They started to hold their own, especially 5 on 5.
Hes always been great, Kempe said of Iafallo. It’s just sometimes you need a little change in the lineup, got a little confidence going there and got a different player on the line and it changes up some things.
The Kings were talking plenty about assertiveness and the need for it in Game 6 right at the start. Kempes drive to the net resulting in a goal late in the first period, cutting the Oilers lead to 3-2, was the template.
He immediately credited Carl Grundstrom for the pass to set it up, adding: Our line was not happy with the start we had but I think we showed up after that and answered the bell good. We’d like to keep that going.”
Kings coach Todd McLellan, speaking to reporters at a media availability Wednesday in El Segundo, said Kempe has arguably been their best player in the series. With four goals and three assists in the first round, Kempe has had at least one point in every game.
While the Kings’ in-game changes didnt get them the win Tuesday, it showed them the path to potentially take Game 6. Theyll have the last change at home and this is the point where a hockey playoff series becomes a chess match.
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https://www.dailynews.com/2023/04/26...with-edmonton/
In their first-round series against the Edmonton Oilers, theyve been getting a lot of mileage out of longtime stars Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty.
The Kings just cant flat out compete against the Oilers unless they have Kopitar and Doughty at their best. With Edmonton holding a 3-2 series lead after Tuesday night’s 6-3 victory, Game 6 is Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, giving the Kings three full days off between games to let them recharge their batteries.
The wear and tear on Doughty was noticeable, even visible from up high in the press box after he blocked a shot by Connor McDavid with 5:45 remaining in the second period and hobbled back to the bench.
Doughty is averaging 28 minutes, 17 seconds of ice time in the playoffs, second to only Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen (29:10). Doughty’s ice time in Game 5 was a series low for him but still 25:24.
The series narrative often shifts in such a hard-fought round and as recently as when the Kings were leading the series 2-1, the talk was about how well they were playing defensively. But the Oilers scored 11 goals in the next two games, taking their high-powered offense to another level.
Just like that, the Kings are facing elimination. But the one thing theyve been good at is maintaining a narrow focus. Win one game Saturday the Game 6 start time has yet to be announced and the series morphs into a roll-of-the-dice, winner-take-all Game 7 showdown Monday.
Now they have additional time to hatch a game plan between now and Game 6.
The Oilers made an important strategic change earlier in the series that really paid off loading up with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the top line, and later cobbled together an effective second line in Game 5 on what was left over, featuring Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nick Bjugstad and Zach Hyman. The Oilers have had five high-end forwards and were searching for a sixth and found that in Bjugstad at the trade deadline in a deal with Arizona. On Tuesday, Bjugstad moved up in the lineup, scored twice and was a plus-two in 16:41 of ice time.
The Kings made an important change themselves in the first period, dropping Quinton Byfield down to the third line and elevating Alex Iafallo. Byfield struggled in a significant way defensively in the first period of Game 5, unable to keep up against the Oilers high-end talent. Maybe its too early in his career to expect success that high in the lineup.
brett kulak gets the oilers their two goal lead back. 3-1. pic.twitter.com/78wtwPdJ4R
— zach (@zjlaing) April 26, 2023
The good news for the Kings is the 20-year-old responded to the move down in the lineup with his first playoff goal in the third period.— zach (@zjlaing) April 26, 2023
Still, there was an immediate difference when Iafallo joined Kopitar and Adrian Kempe on the top line. They started to hold their own, especially 5 on 5.
Hes always been great, Kempe said of Iafallo. It’s just sometimes you need a little change in the lineup, got a little confidence going there and got a different player on the line and it changes up some things.
The Kings were talking plenty about assertiveness and the need for it in Game 6 right at the start. Kempes drive to the net resulting in a goal late in the first period, cutting the Oilers lead to 3-2, was the template.
He immediately credited Carl Grundstrom for the pass to set it up, adding: Our line was not happy with the start we had but I think we showed up after that and answered the bell good. We’d like to keep that going.”
Kings coach Todd McLellan, speaking to reporters at a media availability Wednesday in El Segundo, said Kempe has arguably been their best player in the series. With four goals and three assists in the first round, Kempe has had at least one point in every game.
Points in all five games this series for 
Head Coach Todd McLellan talks Kempe
pic.twitter.com/E7isEwdWLh
— x – LA Kings (@LAKings) April 26, 2023
Head Coach Todd McLellan talks Kempe
pic.twitter.com/E7isEwdWLh— x – LA Kings (@LAKings) April 26, 2023
While the Kings’ in-game changes didnt get them the win Tuesday, it showed them the path to potentially take Game 6. Theyll have the last change at home and this is the point where a hockey playoff series becomes a chess match.
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Kings’ Adrian Kempe using all the tools and talking about it
https://www.dailynews.com/2023/04/26...with-edmonton/