The Edmonton Oilers can secure a place in the second round of the NHL playoffs with a win against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.
Game 5 of the Oilers/Kings first-round series goes at 8 p.m. at Rogers Place.
“Great opportunity here on home ice to close out the series, obviously,” captain Connor McDavid said following practice Wednesday morning. “You never want to give a team life. You never want to give them an opportunity to get themselves going again.
“Big game for us.”
The Oilers hold a 3-1 series lead after winning both of their games in California, allowing just one goal in Games 3 and 4.
McDavid said they need to get off to a good start in Game 5.
“We want to come out of the gates hot, feed off the crowd, feed off the energy of our building and put them on their heels in the first 10 minutes,” McDavid said. “They’re going to be a desperate group but we’re desperate to close out the series. We’re excited about the opportunity here on home ice and excited to play.”
Zach Hyman said the first goal will be important.
“This is always the hardest game – to knock a team off. We’ve never had the opportunity to do against L.A. in Game 5 so this is a big game for us. You don’t want to give a team life, you don’t want to give them hope.”
Head coach Kris Knoblauch said a good start from his team means intensity, focus and execution of details.
“We don’t want to be playing passive. We want to get at it and I think the more we slow things down, it doesn’t work well for us. We want to be playing fast, intense,” Knoblauch said.
“We’re playing a very good opponent. … I think the guys are very dialled in and ready to go.”
The Oilers are looking to be on the attack more often in Game 5, after managing just 13 shots in Game 4. That ties a team record for the fewest shots in a playoff game.
“We’ve got to get on our toes a little bit more and attack a little bit more again and present them a little bit more of a challenge in terms of defending,” forward Leon Draisaitl said Tuesday.
While the Oilers are one win away from eliminating the Kings for the third straight post-season, the series isn’t over yet. Since 2019, four teams have come back from 3-1 series deficits.
“Obviously, they had a really good push there on home ice in Game 4 and they’re going to have a really good push coming here (Wednesday) night,” defenceman Darnell Nurse said.
“For us, it’s going to be important that we come out, we get on the front leg and try to dictate the play.”
There are still tickets available to Wednesday night’s game. And as always, fans can attend outdoor watch parties in Ice District, both in the Ice District Plaza and at the Fan Park. Admission is free and the gates open at 6:30 p.m.
Oilers alumni Ales Hemsky will be signing autographs at the plaza between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.