Stanley Cup Coverage: Oilers Flip the Script: Edmonton One Win Away After Game 5 Victory Over Kings

LOS ANGELES – NHL PLAYOFFS – From flat-footed to firing on all cylinders, the Edmonton Oilers have found their game—and their identity—just in time.

Five days ago, they were down 0-2 in the series and missing top defender Mattias Ekholm. Now? They’re heading back to Rogers Place with a 3-2 series lead, thanks to a 3-1 win over the Kings in Game 5 and a blue-line unit that has stepped up in a major way.

The Oilers are now one win away from bouncing LA from the playoffs for the fourth straight year.

“You don’t replace a guy like Ekholm,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch, “but what we’ve seen from our group is everyone raising their level. That’s playoff hockey.”

🧱 Next-Man-Up on the Blue Line

With Ekholm sidelined, Edmonton’s D corps has delivered by committee. Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse, and Brett Kulak have logged heavy minutes, while John Klingberg and Jake Walman are finding their rhythm just when it matters most.

• Bouchard: Logging 25:59 per game

• Nurse: Leading physically at 24:53 per game

• Klingberg-Walman: Quickly becoming a reliable pairing

Klingberg, whose season has been a saga of injury and recovery, made his playoff presence felt with a slick assist in Game 5—fending off Drew Doughty and feeding Evander Kane for the tying goal midway through the second.

“This is the best I’ve felt in a long time,” said Klingberg. “Now it’s about building off that.”

🔁 Trade Deadline Payoff

Jake Walman, acquired in March from San Jose, missed the final stretch of the regular season with an injury, but he’s been impactful since Game 1. His growing chemistry with Klingberg has become a storyline of its own.

“We weren’t sure what the right deadline move was,” Knoblauch said. “In hindsight, Walman was a perfect fit.”

Add in the potential return of Troy Stecher, and suddenly Edmonton’s back end, which once looked like a liability, is a major strength.

🧨 Offensive Depth, Defensive Discipline

With the defense clamping down, the forwards are doing their part too. Game 5 saw Mattias Janmark pot the game-winner in the third and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins seal it with an empty-netter.

Goaltender Stuart Skinner made 27 saves, rebounding from early-series struggles to hold LA to one goal for the second straight game.

🔜 Game 6: Home Ice, High Stakes

The Oilers will look to close it out Thursday night at home in front of what’s sure to be a deafening Rogers Place crowd. Puck drops at 10 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. MT.

“It’s one game,” said Knoblauch. “We’ve got to treat it like a Game 7 and keep our foot on the gas.”

🧊 SIDEBAR: Game 6 Preview – Oilers vs. Kings

📍 Location: Rogers Place, Edmonton
📅 Date/Time: Thursday, May 2 @ 10:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM MT
📺 Watch on: CBC, SN, TVAS2, ESPN

🏒 Series Snapshot:

• Oilers lead series 3-2

• Edmonton has won 3 straight after dropping the first 2

• Kings have been eliminated by the Oilers in the past three postseasons

🔥 Players to Watch:

Evan Bouchard (EDM):

• Leads all Oilers D-men in ice time (25:59 avg)

• 5 points in 5 games this series

John Klingberg (EDM):

• Assisting and defending—looks healthy and confident

• Paired well with Jake Walman in Game 5

Stuart Skinner (EDM):

• 1.50 GAA over last 2 games

• Big saves have swung momentum back to Edmonton

Kevin Fiala (LAK):

• Kings’ most creative forward this series

• Needs to drive scoring if LA wants a Game 7

🧠 Key Stats:

• Edmonton has outscored LA 11–4 over the past 3 games

• Oilers are 7-3 in last 10 playoff games at Rogers Place

• LA is 0-6 in elimination games vs. Edmonton since 2022

🔑 Keys to the Game:

• Oilers: Stay disciplined, keep defense tight without Ekholm, let top-six forwards go to work

• Kings: Break through Edmonton’s neutral zone trap, generate high-danger chances early

🚨 X-Factor:

Mattias Janmark (EDM) – Quietly clutch, scored Game 5 winner, brings energy and smart positioning. Watch for his role in late-game matchups.

📊 Projected Goalie Duel:

📣 Fan Note:

Expect a whiteout atmosphere at Rogers Place—Oilers fans know how to lift their team in must-win moments.

If Edmonton plays the way they have the past three games—tight defensively, opportunistic offensively—there’s every reason to believe they’ll be moving on.