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Jim Hiller declares Kings ‘should have’ beat Oilers

Originally posted on NHL on ClutchPoints
By Christopher Hennessy | Last updated May 2, 2025 9:41 AM ET

The Los Angeles Kings lost to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After taking a 2-0 series lead behind the power of the Koreatown Senior Center harmonica players. But after that, Edmonton took control, winning the final four games to eliminate Los Angeles. Kings coach Jim Hiller knows that this is the one that got away.

“One hundred per cent, it’s a missed opportunity for us.” Hiller continued, per Mark Spector of Sportsnet, “We believe we could have won the series. We believe we should have won the series. We had our chances to get it done. Didn’t get it done.”

Hiller has been excellent in the regular season since taking over, but a Game 3 challenge will be remembered as where this series changed. The Kings allowed a goal to Evander Kane to tie the game at 4 with less than seven minutes left.

Hiller challenged the goal for goalie interference despite little evidence that it would get overturned. The Oilers scored on the power play that resulted from the unsuccessful challenge and never looked back.

This is ruled 'goal' after reviewing for a kicking motion… but then the Kings challenge for goalie interfernece.

Hiller and the Kings went 3-3 on interference challenges in the regular season, but lost this one. Teams are 0-2 in the playoffs so far & went 2-5 last postseason. pic.twitter.com/sS1q8lYyaB

— Shayna (@shaynagoldman_) April 26, 2025

Whether or not this is what Hiller is referring to when he says the Kings should have beaten the Oilers, we may never know. But it is certainly the first thing many thought about when he said it. If he does not challenge this goal, the Oilers would not have gone on the power play. Los Angeles could have won that game and may have won the series.

The Kings have now lost to the Oilers in the first round in each of the last four years . With the current playoff format prioritizing divisional matchups, it will be hard for them to avoid Connor McDavid. Hiller knows his team let one slip away and knows that if they play again next year, it could be a different story.

This article first appeared on NHL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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