Game 3 on Friday night was a lopsided affair, with the visiting Oilers pounding the Kings 6-1. It served as a clear reminder of what can happen if a club isn’t ready to face as high-octane a side as Edmonton. After Los Angeles surprised the Albertans with a gutsy performance on the road in Game 2, they were obliterated in front of their fans in Game 3.

The NHL Playoff odds believe that the Oilers will go up 3-1 in the series, as they’re pegged at -145 on the moneyline.

Oilers vs. Kings NHL Playoff Betting Odds

The odds are far more in favour of Edmonton claiming this first round series, with Kris Knoblauch’s group a -500 favourite to Los Angeles’ +375.

Where things get interesting for better is regarding the number of matches required to finish the deed. A 4-1 Oilers series victory is +175, 4-2 is priced at +229, and +375 if the series goes the distance. Sadly for Kings fans, they’re a much longer shot at +550 in seven games and +990 for L.A. to rattle off three straight wins to take it 4-2.

Despite battering each other soundly in Game 3, there are no major injuries to report.

At this stage last year the Kings were surprisingly up 2-1, only for the Oilers to take the next trio of matches. L.A. could rely on what happened in 2022 when Edmonton led 2-1 and the hosts responded with a Game 4 win.

Edmonton Oilers

One supposes that, other than posting a shutout, Game 3 went about as well as it could for a road team in danger of falling behind in a playoff series. Not for an instant did it ever feel as though the Oilers were in genuine peril of having the wheels come off.

The penalty kill was excellent (5-for-5), they outshot the hosts 40-28, and by the time the clubs reverted to the locker rooms for the first intermission it was a 3-0 game. Zach Hyman, a man on a mission, netted his fifth of the postseason, Leon Draisaitl doubled the lead and Connor McDavid finally scored his first tally of the series. That’s the sort of first period it was. Edmonton never allowed Los Angeles back into the game. Even the lone Kings goal to make it 3-1 was quickly replied to with Evander Kane’s first goal this spring.

From there things got even more comfortable, as the hosts clearly lacked discipline (seven total penalties), thus allowing the Oilers to operate on cruise control for much of the third period, scoring twice more for the 6-1 final.

Los Angeles Kings

It goes without saying that if Game 3 went as well as it could have for the visitors, it was a disaster for the hosts. Before the series began there were some fears that there could be games like this because of the relative gap in talent between the rivals.

The Kings looked like they had no idea what to do against the Oilers’ onslaught. They couldn’t stay out of the sin bin, they struggled to deal with rebounds, when they had power plays they did nothing with them, and generally looked like an overmatched squad. Don’t look now, but Cam Talbot has a goals against average of 5.30 and a save percentage of .861. There isn’t a prayer in the Bible that would help the Kings win the series with goaltending like that. Not that the defence is doing any better, coughing up 40 shots on target Friday night.

Interestingly, the best player on the ice through three games has been the lesser-known LW Quinton Byfield. He has four points (all assists) and is a plus-5 so far – in a series where his team has a minus-7 differential. Adrian Kempe still leads with three goals.

NHL Playoff Prediction: Who Will Win Oilers vs. Kings Game 4?

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Oilers Team Leaders

EDM

Points	Connor McDavid 132
+ / -	Mattias Ekholm 44
Shots	Zach Hyman 290
Penalty Mins	Evander Kane 85
Wins	Stuart Skinner 36
GAA	Calvin Pickard 2.45

LA

Points	Adrian Kempe 75
+ / -	Mikey Anderson 22
Shots	Adrian Kempe 246
Penalty Mins	Andreas Englund 81
Wins	Cam Talbot 27
GAA	David Rittich 2.15

EDM

Points	Connor McDavid 42
+ / -	Evan Bouchard 14
Shots	Zach Hyman 90
Penalty Mins	Evander Kane 37
Wins	Stuart Skinner 14
GAA	Calvin Pickard 2.21

LA

Points	Adrian Kempe 5
+ / -	Quinton Byfield 4
Shots	Adrian Kempe 21
Penalty Mins	Drew Doughty 14
Wins	Cam Talbot 1
GAA	David Rittich 2.56

• Regular Season
• Playoffs

Kings Team Leaders

EDM

Points	Connor McDavid 132
+ / -	Mattias Ekholm 44
Shots	Zach Hyman 290
Penalty Mins	Evander Kane 85
Wins	Stuart Skinner 36
GAA	Calvin Pickard 2.45

LA

Points	Adrian Kempe 75
+ / -	Mikey Anderson 22
Shots	Adrian Kempe 246
Penalty Mins	Andreas Englund 81
Wins	Cam Talbot 27
GAA	David Rittich 2.15

EDM

Points	Connor McDavid 42
+ / -	Evan Bouchard 14
Shots	Zach Hyman 90
Penalty Mins	Evander Kane 37
Wins	Stuart Skinner 14
GAA	Calvin Pickard 2.21

LA

Points	Adrian Kempe 5
+ / -	Quinton Byfield 4
Shots	Adrian Kempe 21
Penalty Mins	Drew Doughty 14
Wins	Cam Talbot 1
GAA	David Rittich 2.56

Injuries

Edmonton

Evander Kane (LW)

Ques Fri Abdominal - 12 / 06 / 24

Darnell Nurse (D)

Prob Thurs Hip - 11 / 06 / 24

Corey Perry (RW)

Ques Sun Shoulder - 31 / 05 / 24

Adam Henrique (C)

Prob Mon Ankle - 23 / 05 / 24

Adam Henrique (C)

Out Mon Ankle - 12 / 05 / 24

Adam Henrique (C)

Ques Fri Lower Body - 03 / 05 / 24

Mattias Janmark (C)

Prob Mon Undisclosed - 20 / 04 / 24

Cody Ceci (D)

Out Wed Rest - 17 / 04 / 24

Darnell Nurse (D)

Out Wed Rest - 17 / 04 / 24

Evander Kane (LW)

Prob Mon Hernia - 15 / 04 / 24

Los Angeles

Anze Kopitar (C)

Ques Mon Undisclosed - 13 / 04 / 24

Phillip Danault (LW)

Prob Sat Upper Body - 31 / 03 / 24

Alex Turcotte (C)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 20 / 03 / 24

Adrian Kempe (RW)

Late March Upper Body - 27 / 02 / 24

Mikey Anderson (D)

Prob Mon Upper Body - 24 / 02 / 24

Viktor Arvidsson (RW)

Prob Wed Lower Body - 21 / 02 / 24

Carl Grundstrom (RW)

Prob Mon Lower Body - 13 / 02 / 24

Trevor Lewis (C)

Ques Wed Undisclosed - 31 / 01 / 24

Quinton Byfield (RW)

Prob Wed Illness - 26 / 01 / 24

Matt Roy (D)

Ques Wed Personal - 22 / 01 / 24

Injuries

Edmonton

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Evander Kane (LW)	Ques Fri	Abdominal - 12 / 06 / 24	3-2	4-1	+ -
Kane missed his last game due to an abdomen injury, and it is unclear if he will play Friday's game against the Panthers in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Darnell Nurse (D)	Prob Thurs	Hip - 11 / 06 / 24	3-2	4-1	+ -
Nurse exited the contest with a hip injury, but he is expected to play against the the Panthers in Game 3 of Conference Final.
Corey Perry (RW)	Ques Sun	Shoulder - 31 / 05 / 24	5-4	5-4	+ -
Perry exited the contest with a shoulder injury, and it has yet to be established if he will face the Stars in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final.
Adam Henrique (C)	Prob Mon	Ankle - 23 / 05 / 24	6-7	6-7	+ -
Henrique is dealing with an ankle injury, but he is projected to be available Monday's clash against the Stars in Game 3 Western Conference Final.
Adam Henrique (C)	Out Mon	Ankle - 12 / 05 / 24	7-11	8-9-1	+ -
Henrique is dealing with an unknown ailment, and he will not participate in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Canucks.
Adam Henrique (C)	Ques Fri	Lower Body - 03 / 05 / 24	7-13	10-9-1	+ -
Henrique is bothered by a lower-body injury, and it is uncertain if he will play in Game 2 of the Western Conference second round against the Canucks.
Mattias Janmark (C)	Prob Mon	Undisclosed - 20 / 04 / 24	9-16	13-11-1	+ -
Janmark is tending to an unspecified ailment, but it is not expected to affect his status for Game 1 of the Western Conference first round versus the Kings.
Cody Ceci (D)	Out Wed	Rest - 17 / 04 / 24	10-17	15-11-1	+ -
Ceci will not battle the Coyotes on Wednesday as he will receive a day of rest.
Darnell Nurse (D)	Out Wed	Rest - 17 / 04 / 24	10-17	15-11-1	+ -
Nurse will not be active for Wednesday's clash with the Coyotes as he will be given a day of rest.
Evander Kane (LW)	Prob Mon	Hernia - 15 / 04 / 24	10-18	15-12-1	+ -
Kane is dealing with a sports hernia, but it is projected that he will lace up for Game 1 of the Western Conference first round against the Kings.

Los Angeles

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Anze Kopitar (C)	Ques Mon	Undisclosed - 13 / 04 / 24	4-4	4-4	+ -
Kopitar was absent from the last game with an unknown injury, and it is up in the air whether he will face the Wild on Monday.
Phillip Danault (LW)	Prob Sat	Upper Body - 31 / 03 / 24	7-8	8-7	+ -
Danault has missed the previous four games with an upper-body issue, but it is projected that he will play against the Canucks on Saturday.
Alex Turcotte (C)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 20 / 03 / 24	10-10	11-9	+ -
Turcotte has been moved to the long-term injured reserve list with an upper-body injury, and the severity of the ailment is unknown.
Adrian Kempe (RW)	Late March	Upper Body - 27 / 02 / 24	15-16	13-17-1	+ -
Kempe is out of commission with an upper-body injury, and he will remain sidelined until the end of March.
Mikey Anderson (D)	Prob Mon	Upper Body - 24 / 02 / 24	15-17	13-18-1	+ -
Anderson has been shut down with an upper-body injury, but he is expected to return to the ice Monday versus the Islanders.
Viktor Arvidsson (RW)	Prob Wed	Lower Body - 21 / 02 / 24	17-17	13-20-1	+ -
Arvidsson has been activated from the long-term injured reserve list after recovering from a lower-body injury, and he is likely to return to the ice Wednesday versus the Wild.
Carl Grundstrom (RW)	Prob Mon	Lower Body - 13 / 02 / 24	20-18	15-22-1	+ -
Grundstrom has been shifted to the long-term injured reserve list with a lower-body injury, but he is expected to be activated prior to Game 1 of the Western Conference first round versus the Oilers.
Trevor Lewis (C)	Ques Wed	Undisclosed - 31 / 01 / 24	21-19	16-22-2	+ -
Lewis is tending to an unspecified ailment, leaving his status against the Predators on Wednesday in question.
Quinton Byfield (RW)	Prob Wed	Illness - 26 / 01 / 24	21-21	17-23-2	+ -
Byfield has missed the last two games with an illness, but it is predicted that he will dress for Wednesday's contest versus the Predators.
Matt Roy (D)	Ques Wed	Personal - 22 / 01 / 24	21-23	18-24-2	+ -
Roy was absent from the last game for the birth of his child, and it is uncertain if he will suit up Wednesday versus the Sabres.