Oilers’ Stunning Comeback Pushes Kings to the Edge—Can L.A. Survive Another Heartbreaker?
Edmonton’s Mattias Janmark sure knows how to crank up the heat when it matters most. Slipping past the Kings’ defense to slam home a rebound early in the third period, he handed the Oilers a critical 3-1 edge in Game 5 of this nail-biting first-round Stanley Cup playoff clash at Crypto.com Arena. With the series now tilted 3-2 in Edmonton’s favor, the Oilers stand a whisker away from knocking out the Kings yet again—for a fourth consecutive year, no less. It’s the kind of gut punch that leaves you breathless, especially for Kings captain Anze Kopitar, who openly admitted the frustration hanging heavy over the locker room but also insisted they’re zeroing in on one thing: snatching a win on the road to force a decisive Game 7. Talk about pressure mounting, and shoot, the momentum swinging wildly like a pendulum in overtime.
If you thought this was gonna be a snooze-fest, think again. Janmark’s game-winning rocket marked the fourth time in just five games the Kings have thrown their hands up late in the game, surrendering crucial leads in the final stretch—giving the Oilers a rare streak of three straight comeback victories, a first in franchise playoff lore. Meanwhile, Evander Kane lit the lamp earlier for Edmonton, while Andrei Kuzmenko managed to breach the Oilers defense with the Kings’ lone tally, leaving Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to seal the deal with an empty-net goal for the final flourish. The scoreline might look tidy, but this game was anything but.
LEARN MOREEdmonton’s Mattias Janmark pushed the Kings to the brink of playoff elimination, scoring off a rebound early in the third period to give the Oilers a 3-1 win in Game 5 of their first-round Stanley Cup playoff at Crypto.com Arena. The Oilers, who lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, can end the Kings’ season for a fourth straight season with another victory.
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