24 Hours Later: Game 5
Are the Kings crumbling?
LOS ANGELES — In the moments before puck drop Tuesday night, there was a stillness inside Crypto.com Arena. Not silence — not in a packed playoff barn — but a nervous tension, coiled and waiting.
It felt less like anticipation… and more like dread.
The Los Angeles Kings, hosting the most important game of their season, came out flat. The Edmonton Oilers? Fired up and focused. The result: a 3–1 loss for the Kings that now leaves them down 3–2 in the series and facing elimination in Edmonton.
This wasn’t just a game. It was a gut check. And the Kings didn’t answer the bell.
The Same Old Story, Again
After three straight first-round exits, this postseason was supposed to be different.
• A maturing core
• A bold trade deadline
• Home-ice advantage
Everything lined up. Everything, except execution.
“They had us right from the start,” head coach Jim Hiller admitted post-game. “They were just better in every way.”
Hiller wore all black behind the bench. At the time, it seemed stylish. In hindsight? A dress rehearsal for the end.
A Small Play That Changed Everything
It’s funny how the defining moment of a playoff game doesn’t always come from a superstar or a highlight-reel goal.
This time, it was Oilers defenseman John Klingberg, lunging at the blue line to keep a puck in the zone midway through the second period. His desperation kept the play alive. Moments later, Evander Kane tied the game at 1–1.
From there, the Oilers took over.
Matias Janmark banged home a rebound to give Edmonton the lead. And with just over a minute remaining, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — the soft-spoken veteran who’s worn the Oilers crest for more than a decade — sealed it with an empty-netter.
Kuemper Stands Tall — Again — But Alone
If you’re looking for someone to blame, don’t point at Darcy Kuemper. The Kings netminder turned aside 45 shots, one night after stopping 48. He gave everything he had. And he got no help.
This wasn’t one bad night. It was déjà vu. Kuemper was brilliant. His team? Absent.
Where’s the Urgency?
Playoff hockey isn’t about possession metrics or shot maps. It’s about will. About playing like your season is on the line.
The Oilers played like that. The Kings didn’t.
Their top players were quiet. Their defense cracked under pressure. And their fan base — packed into the arena and clinging to hope — walked out in silence.
One Game From the End — Again
Now the Kings must win two straight to survive.
Yes, it’s still mathematically possible. But spiritually? Emotionally? It feels like we’ve been here before. And we know how this movie ends.
Edmonton looks like a team gearing up for a long run. L.A. looks like a team still searching for answers — or worse, pretending they have them.
Game 6 Awaits
Thursday night in Edmonton will be loud, intense, and unforgiving. The Kings have to show up like their season — and reputation — depends on it.
About the Creator
Cam Tait
Cam Tait of Edmonton is a veteran journalist, author and comedian who lives with cerebral palsy. Overcoming great odds to live independently and work full time, he serves as a role model to future generations of Albertans.
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