Tue Apr 22 01:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Oilers Face Familiar Foe in Kings for Fourth Straight Playoff Matchup

**LOS ANGELES, CA** – The Edmonton Oilers begin their quest for the Stanley Cup against a familiar opponent, the Los Angeles Kings, in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Monday night at Crypto.com Arena. This marks the fourth consecutive year the two teams have met in the opening round.

Despite winning the previous three playoff series against the Kings (in seven, six, and five games respectively), the Oilers aren’t taking anything for granted. The Kings, boasting the NHL’s best home record (31-6-4 at Crypto.com Arena) and having won three of their four regular season meetings against Edmonton, hold home-ice advantage. However, the Oilers have a strong record in Los Angeles during the playoffs, going 6-2-0 in their last eight games at Crypto.com Arena.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid expressed optimism, stating, “We’ve waited all year for this…Everybody’s excited, so it should be a fun one.” He acknowledged the Kings’ strengths, highlighting their strong defense and deep scoring, but emphasized the Oilers’ belief in their own capabilities. Leon Draisaitl echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the team’s resilience throughout a challenging regular season.

The Kings present familiar challenges, with their defensive style and offensive threats like Adrian Kempe, Kevin Fiala, and Anze Kopitar, bolstered by players like Warren Foegele and Quinton Byfield. The Oilers’ goaltending will be challenged by Darcy Kuemper, a Stanley Cup champion with a stellar regular season.

While the Oilers draw on the experience of last season’s run to the Stanley Cup Final, they understand this is a new year. The team will be without Mattias Ekholm, Troy Stecher, and Evander Kane for Game 1, but Trent Frederic is a possibility. Brett Kulak is also expected to play despite the recent birth of his child. The Oilers will look to their “resilient” nature and their “A-game” to overcome the Kings’ challenge and advance in the playoffs. Game 1 can be viewed on Sportsnet at 8:00 p.m. MDT.

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