Player grades: Edmonton Oilers shut down and shut out by dominating Los Angeles Kings

The Edmonton Oilers were shut down and shut out by the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, losers of a defensive struggle.

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The Kings dominated the game, winning 3-0. Ouch! Of course, the Oilers were a few superstars short of their regular team in this one.

In total, the Grade A shots were just eight for Edmonton, 12 for the Kings, with the subset of more dangerous 5-alarm shots eight for Los Angeles just two for Oilers.

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Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 4. Unable to make an impact, an ongoing concern with RNH against bigger, heavier teams like Los Angeles. Contributions/mistakes on Grade A Shots (GAS): Even Strength +1/-1; Special Teams +1/-1.

Vasily Podkolzin, 7. Active all game, making an impact, which should help him keep a job in the weeks to come as Edmonton forwards battle for roster spots. Won a board battle and set up Arvidsson for a first period harpoon. Jammed a Grade A shot on net of his own in the second. GAS: ES +3/-1; ST +0/-1.

Viktor Arvidsson, 6. Another solid game. Pounded a Grade A on net let in the first. GAS: ES +3/-1; ST +0/-0.

Zach Hyman, 6. Broke in fast in the first off a Bouchard stretch pass but failed to beat Kuemper, then not much after that, save for another good hard move and shot on net late in third. GAS: ES +3/-0; ST +0/-0.

Trent Frederic, 7. Roughed it up, made an impact. But played just 7:10. How healthy is he? Concerning. Threw a hit a few seconds into his first shift, Boo-yah! Left the game after that, maybe hurting, but came back to push over Drew Doughty, sending the L.A. vet to the net in pain. Next shift he followed up his own tip and jammed a shot on Kuemper, inciting the Kings to lose their temper. Finished up the first with a hard wrap-around. Solid o-zone hit led to Janmark Grade A in the second. GAS: ES +2/-0; ST +0/-0.

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Adam Henrique, 4. He allowed the pass to Kuzmenko on the second L.A. goal. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.

Connor Brown, 5. Quiet game, not good for a forward. One good play driving the net late for a short-handed Grade A. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +1/-1.

Mattias Janmark, 3. Solid backcheck to thwart a dangerous Kempe rush late in the first. Pounced for his own Grade A slotter in the second. But a moment later super weak on the backcheck on Kevin Fiala, allowing him to establish position, then beat him in the crease for the goal. Janmark’s been slumping defensively, so much so his spot in the line-up has to be at risk. Caught called on a super duper marginal penalty for the kind of unpenalized slash McDavid and Draisaitl take ten times per game. It was all the worse when Doughty slashed RNH a moment later and got no penalty, even as it denied RNH a breakaway. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST +1/-1.

Jeff Skinner, 4. Same as Brown. Needs to make an impact as a forward and show he can be effective against heavy teams.  He played the puck early on a line-change and took a penalty in the thid. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0.

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Kasperi Kapanen, 5. Good hustle. Solid defensive stop in the first led to plenty of Oilers o-zone time. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-2.

Corey Perry, 5. Pounced on a turnover and almost drove in a Grade A slotter in the second. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.

Max Jones, 5. Not adding much on attack, but did throw five hits. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.

Evan Bouchard, 5. Some good, some bad. Great stretch pass to send in Hyman early on.  GAS: ES +2/-2; ST +0/-0.

Jake Walman, 4. Decent game, but caught flat-footed and out-of-luck on Moore’s second period break-in. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST +0/-2.

Darnell Nurse, 7. Quiet game, but that’s good for a d-man. Kept a clean sheet at even strength, not one mistake on a Grade A shot against at even strength. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0.

Troy Stecher, 7.  Strong hustle, making a bid for playoff roster spot. Excellent hard takedown on Fiala in the second; I’ve liking seeing the Oilers rough up any King since Mikey Anderson’s nasty takedown of Leon Draisaitl in the 2022 playoffs. Nice stickcheck on Danault in d-slot late in game. GAS: ES +1/-0; ST +0/-0.

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Brett Kulak, 3. His slump continues. Slow to the shooter on the scramble leading to Pickard’s circus save in the first.  Not good on L.A.’s goal rush for the first goal, getting caught flat-footed and causing a 2-on-1. Also a culprit on the second goal, caught wandering in the Red Light Zone, not covering any passing lane or anybody, forcing Nurse out of position to cover for him. GAS: ES +0/-3; ST +1/-1.

Ty Emberson, 6. Also a quiet game. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +1/-0.

Calvin Pickard, 6. Spun to stop a tough outside shot early on, ended up stopping the 5-alarm rebound with his back-to-it, stopping it with the back of his elbow. Strong stop on Moore’s break-in chance early in second. He kicked off a rebound on L.A.’s first goal, but was unlucky to see Fialan knock it down and score. Beat clean on an outside shot for the second L.A. goal, but thwarted Kopitar’s break-in backhander. Saved by the crossbar on Fiala’s PP harpoon, but that’s why the Hockey Gords invented the crossbar. Some great stop late, but he had no help from Oil’s offence.

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