Pacific rivals Oilers, Kings expect close game Monday night

Forwards Alex Turcotte of the Los Angeles Kings, left, and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers chase the puck during NHL action on Dec. 28, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press) (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

Kris Knoblauch is expecting a tight game Monday night.

The Edmonton Oilers' head coach said following his team’s morning skate the visiting Los Angeles Kings are known for waiting for their opponents to make mistakes and force things, allowing them chances to create offence.

“They’re one of the better teams in the league defending,” Knoblauch told media Monday morning of the fierce Pacific Division rival that’s just two points behind them in the standings with two games in hand.

“Once we force things, we’ll be feeding their transition, allowing them opportunities. We have to know that our chances are going to be limited (Monday night), and we have to work for them.”

The Oilers (26-13-3, second in the Pacific) are coming into the game at Rogers Place (7 p.m.) winners of five of their last six games and are 7-2-1 in their last 10.

The Kings (24-11-5, third Pacific), who beat the Oilers in overtime on Dec. 28 in each team’s first game following the Christmas break, had a five-game win streak stopped Saturday in a 2-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. Los Angeles has kept pace with Edmonton by going 6-2-2 in their last 10 games.

Defence is indeed playing a significant role in the Kings' fortunes so far in the 2024-25 season: starter Darcy Kuemper sits third among National Hockey League goalies who’ve played in 15 or more games with a .921 save percentage. And while they’ve played the fewest games (40) of all NHL teams, the Kings are the only squad with fewer than 100 goals allowed on the season with 99 heading into Monday’s match.

Kings head coach Jim Hiller said there isn’t much different in the way his team prepares for Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the rest of the Oilers given how familiar each side is with each other – “The pre-scout is, ‘You know what, guys? Here we go again,’” he told media before Monday’s game – but that one focus is on defensive play.

“For us, at least, we’ve got to make sure that we’re executing without the puck, probably more so than with it,” Hiller said.

“We had a great game, obviously, in L.A. that went in our favour (Dec. 28), but it was a close game. It could have gone either way, but I thought for coming out of a Christmas break -- that was a pretty good hockey game.”

Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse said the development of a recent rivalry with the Kings, particularly in the playoffs – Edmonton has eliminated Los Angeles from the post-season the last three seasons – makes games against them more intense.

“Playing within your own division, there are always higher stakes in games, it feels,” Nurse said after the morning skate.

“When you add in the emotion and the history of playing in the playoffs, that’s how you develop these rivalries. They’re a really good team, and we’re a really good team, too.

“That’s what makes this game fun, is when you have two good teams that are competing against each other, and have that history built up.”

Foegele returns to Edmonton for 1st time as King

It’s not his first game against his old club, but Warren Foegele’s return to Rogers Place Monday night wearing opposition colours has aroused some sentimentality, said the winger who in July signed as a free agent with the Kings.

“Just looking up at the banner there (the Oilers' Western Conference champion flag in the arena rafters), we didn’t get the ultimate goal last year, but in a way, it’s nice to see that,” said Foegele, who’s fourth in Kings scoring with 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 40 games played.

“A lot of good memories here. Everyone treated me really well. It was definitely a second home to me here in Edmonton.”

Last year, the fast-skating Foegele, 28, enjoyed a breakout season with the Oilers, scoring 20 goals and 21 assists for 41 points in 82 games played.

Projected Oilers lineup

Forward

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins • Connor McDavid • Zach Hyman

Vasily Podkolzin • Leon Draisaitl • Viktor Arvidsson

Mattias Janmark • Adam Henrique • Connor Brown

Corey Perry • Kasperi Kapanen

Defence

Mattias Ekholm • Evan Bouchard

Darnell Nurse • Troy Stecher

Brett Kulak • Ty Emberson

Josh Brown

Goal

Stuart Skinner • Calvin Pickard