LOS ANGELES — The Edmonton Oilers rolled into Crypto.com Arena on April 29, 2025, and left with a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, snagging a 3-2 lead in their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series. It was a night of relentless pressure, a third-period dagger, and a goaltender who stood tall when it mattered most. The Oilers, who’ve now won three straight after dropping the first two games, are one win away from advancing.
The game started with Edmonton throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Kings netminder Darcy Kuemper. Shots rained down—46 in total, compared to the Kings’ measly 21. Evander Kane got the party started early, banging in a goal in the first period to put the Oilers up 1-0. The Kings answered back when Andrei Kuzmenko found the net, knotting things at 1-1. But that was the last spark Los Angeles could muster.
Mattias Janmark became the hero in the third. With 12:48 left, he pounced on a rebound from Viktor Arvidsson’s shot and buried it past Kuemper, breaking the tie. The Kings, visibly rattled, couldn’t claw back. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins sealed the deal with an empty-netter in the final moments, sending the Oilers faithful into a frenzy and quieting the Los Angeles crowd.
Calvin Pickard, Edmonton’s goaltender, was a brick wall, stopping 20 of 21 shots. His calm under fire kept the Kings at bay, especially in the tense closing minutes when Los Angeles pushed for a miracle. Kuemper, despite facing a barrage of 46 shots, made 43 saves but couldn’t steal the game for his team.
Edmonton’s dominance wasn’t just on the scoreboard. They owned possession, outshot the Kings 79-35 since the third period of Game 4, and controlled the pace like a team smelling blood. The Kings, who led 2-0 in the series after strong home wins on April 21 and 23, now face elimination. Their fourth straight first-round exit at the hands of Edmonton looms large.
Game 6 is set for May 1 in Edmonton. The Oilers can close it out at Rogers Place, while the Kings need a road win to force a Game 7 back in Los Angeles on May 3.