Oilers regain momentum, series life after questionable Kings challenge in Game 3

EDMONTON, Alb. – Did Los Angeles coach Jim Hiller unwittingly hand series momentum to the Edmonton Oilers?

After Evander Kane jammed in the game-tying goal with under seven minutes remaining in the third period, the Kings levied a challenge for goaltender interference where there was none to be found from any angle.

The failed challenge put Edmonton on the power play, where Evan Bouchard notched his second power play goal of the game just 10 seconds later to give the Oilers the lead and life in this first-round series with a 7-4 win at Rogers Place on Friday.

Los Angeles holds a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 on Sunday in Alberta.

“We got a good look at it,” said Hiller, who took a timeout for an extra few looks before challenging. “We took plenty of time. We felt it was goalie interference, so we challenged it. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose on those. Tonight, lost and it cost us big time. No other way around it.”

Now, momentum is such a fickle phenomenon in hockey, especially so in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and momentum swung wildly over 60 minutes in Edmonton.

Where Los Angeles was in full control of the series after sweeping their two home games, Edmonton rode its home crowd to its first lead of the series, and Bouchard’s first power play blast–the Oilers first special teams goal of the series–for a two-goal lead.

However, the Kings swung back with three consecutive goals, including another two power play goals. LA has scored seven power play goals in 12 opportunities through three games.

Edmonton would tie it back up at 3-3, and nine seconds later, the Kings went back ahead, 4-3, before Kane eventually brought the game back level once more, 4-4, late in the third.

“It’s been crazy,” Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said. “Feels like the series in the past with them has been more low key and it’s always been the same rhythm and the same type of flow within the game. These couple games have been more of an up-and-down roller coaster for both teams. Fortunately, tonight was on our side.”

Following Kane’s goal, which was initially reviewed by the referees for a kick, Hiller took his timeout for a few more moments for his staff to review the play, and here’s where the potentially monumental momentum swing occurs.

For almost anyone looking at the replays, there was no sign of goaltender interference. Sure, Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper had lost his stick in the netmouth scrum, but there was no undue contact or pushing of Kuemper that forced him out of position or allowed the puck to cross the line.

And somehow, Hiller and his staff still decided to challenge the play for goaltender interference knowing that if it failed, Edmonton would go on the power play for a potential go-ahead goal.

“All those things go into it,” Hiller said. “That’s why we take a timeout. We understand the situation. We don’t want to give them a power play, but clearly, we felt that that challenge was in our favor. The league disagreed. We move on.”

It moved quickly from there, as Bouchard cruised in off the ensuing face-off and dropped the puck back to Draisaitl for the give-and-go strike to regain the lead.

In a span of 10 seconds, the Kings went from up a goal to down a goal, and the Oilers went from the brink of death to full of life.

“That’s playoff hockey,” Kane said. “Those are moments that are important. We had an important moment in the third period and did the job. It’s only one win. We have to take care of business again on Sunday night.”

It’s one decision in one game of what could now turn into a long series if the Oilers continue to hold serve on their home ice in Game 4.

In the long run, serieslong trends still cropped up to put the Oilers on the wrong side of the momentum swing after pushing it their way to open the game.

The Los Angeles power play–particularly the connection of Kevin Fiala, Adrian Kempe and Anze Kopitar–continues to be on fire. Again, the Kings did not score a power play goal in five games against Edmonton last playoffs and was just 2-for-14 against the Oilers in the regular season.

If Edmonton can’t stay out of the penalty box or at the very least defend the penalty kills, it’s still a long road out of this series for the Oilers, and it’ll be even longer if they can’t get the timely stops in net.

“We’ve got to do a better job on the penalty kill,” Kane said. “They seem to be coming at the end of the kill too, which is a blow. We can score, we know we can, we just have to keep pucks out of the back of our net.”

Calvin Pickard got the start instead of Stuart Skinner, and while there were some nice stops early, Trevor Moore’s one-handed poke-check goal to put the Kings back ahead, 4-3, just nine seconds after the Oilers tied the game was inexcusable.

Edmonton has a light grip of the wheel, but the Oilers need to keep a hold on it to turn the series completely back around to Southern California.