EDMONTON — The Oilers are moving on — and they did it in statement style! In front of a raucous crowd at Rogers Place, Edmonton buried the Los Angeles Kings 6-4 in Game 6 to cap off a four-game winning streak and advance to Round 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It’s the fourth straight year the Oilers have bounced LA in the opening round — and this one might’ve been the most dramatic of the bunch.
Oilers Storm Back From 0-2 Hole — Again
Let’s not forget: this series started with Edmonton in a serious jam. Down 2-0 and staring elimination in the face, the Oilers flipped the switch and rattled off four straight wins — including three comebacks — to stun the Kings and bettors alike.
“You guys all thought we were going to lose,” said Darnell Nurse, never one to mince words. “But we stuck with it, the chemistry built as the series went on, and we earned this one — every inch of it.”
Depth Scoring Delivers Knockout Punch
This wasn’t a one-line win. It was offense by committee, and everyone showed up.
Connor Brown had a goal and two helpers, while Nurse, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, and Trent Frederic each posted a goal and an assist. Six goals. Six scorers. That’s the kind of balance that wins in May.
“It wasn’t our cleanest game,” said captain Connor McDavid. “But it was gritty. Brown was unbelievable, Pickard stepped up, and guys throughout the lineup made plays. That’s what good teams do.”
Kings Collapse After Hot Start
The Kings stormed into the series with two wins and a world of confidence. But it unraveled fast. After blowing multi-goal leads in back-to-back games, LA simply couldn’t contain Edmonton’s offensive waves.
Coach Jim Hiller didn’t hold back postgame: “This was a missed opportunity. Full stop. We should’ve closed it out. We didn’t.”
Quinton Byfield opened the scoring just 1:19 into Game 6, but the Oilers responded immediately. Edmonton scored three unanswered in the second — including Nurse’s snipe from the top of the circle and Frederic’s point-blank finish — to seize control.
Anze Kopitar’s late goal made it 5-4 with under a minute left, but Brown iced it into the empty net with two seconds to play.
Pickard, Perry, and Playoff History
Goalie Calvin Pickard turned aside 23 shots for the win — filling in for Stuart Skinner and holding the fort under pressure.
Veteran Corey Perry also hit a milestone, tying Bryan Trottier for 10th all-time with his 221st playoff game.
And here’s a stat for the historians: Edmonton became just the second team ever to win four straight games in a series after falling behind 2-0. That’s elite company — joining the 2021 Golden Knights.
Thunder Bay Takeaway — Oilers’ Chemistry Feels Real
For fans in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario, Edmonton’s resurgence reflects the kind of resilient hockey this region respects: hard-nosed, team-first, no-quit.
From Frederic’s hustle plays to Nurse’s leadership on the back end, this Oilers squad is more than McDavid and Draisaitl. They’re deep. They’re dangerous. And they’re heating up.
Next up? The Oilers await their second-round opponent as the West’s playoff picture sharpens. But if these last four games proved anything, it’s this: count Edmonton out at your own risk.
