Even more impressive than the opening goal was the matchup strategy Coach Kris Knoblauch employed throughout the night. He consistently deployed the Henrique line head-to-head against Kopitar’s line, a critical decision that paid off tremendously.

Henrique’s trio didn’t just contain Kopitar, they completely dominated, limiting them to an expected goals percentage of just four percent. Yes, you read that correctly: only four percent!

Not only did Henrique’s line shut down the Kings’ top unit defensively, but they also contributed two pivotal goals against them. Edmonton’s second goal was reminiscent of how the Kings exploited the Oilers in previous meetings with swift transitions and quick counters.

Watch closely as Henrique and Frederic swiftly exit the zone, leaving Kings players trailing behind. Frederic finishes the play by out-skating a clearly exhausted Adrian Kempe, highlighting the Oilers’ decisive edge in speed and execution.

This is a major development for the Oilers. If this line can play against a top line in the series against the Vegas Golden Knights and outscore them, Edmonton’s forward depth becomes a looming threat to the opposition.

Mr. Nurse’s Wild Ride

There used to be an attraction at Disneyland called Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. It was a thrilling mini-roller coaster packed with sudden, sharp twists that left riders breathless and exhilarated. Last night, the hockey equivalent of this ride belonged squarely to Darnell Nurse.

Right from puck drop, Nurse’s game was a roller coaster of dramatic ups and downs. It began on a rough note, as the Kings’ opening goal came off a disastrous defensive breakdown from the Oilers’ top line, with all three forwards caught flat-footed and too deep in the offensive zone.

Los Angeles sliced easily through Edmonton’s weak forecheck, pushing Nurse into a critical defensive decision. Instead of anchoring the middle, the most dangerous area of the ice and a defensive must, Nurse gambled aggressively and lost big.

Just like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Nurse’s bold moves were unexpected, risky, and ultimately costly.

The risky play continued for Nurse later. Watch this play, which came off a nice faceoff win by the Oilers. Again, Nurse abandons the middle of the ice. This is even more egregious when you see there is a Kings player behind him. It leads to a break against and a nice save by Calvin Pickard.

Then the ride went another direction. Nurse scored the game winner in a brilliant play. One that he made all night. This attack starts as a relatively benign 3v3 for the Oilers. However, Darnell Nurse took off from his net front and literally made this an odd man rush himself we a great defensive activation. Great play by Janmark to let the puck go. Wonderful shot by Nurse.

In the end, the Nurse stat line is crazy. Two goals for and three goals against. However, when Nurse was on the ice, the shots were 13-6 for the Oilers and the high danger chances were 8-2 for the Oilers. Nurse also had an expected goals for rating of 62.3 percent.

He really ended up being the Oilers’ best defensman in the close-out game.

Series Thoughts

Moving forward, the big question remains whether Draisaitl and McDavid will continue playing together.
Edmonton has clearly established depth, notably with a solid third line and an effective fourth line featuring Janmark, Arvidsson, and Podkolzin. This fourth line delivered impressive results with an expected goals-for percentage of 51 percent and an actual goal differential of 2-0. Notably, they logged significant ice time against both the Byfield and Kopitar lines, managing a combined 2-1 goal advantage.

If Edmonton can confidently deploy this line on the road against any of Vegas’ lines, it will be an encouraging sign heading into the next series.

John Klingberg has emerged as a standout, posting an exceptional 64 percent expected goals-for and a 4-1 actual goal differential. His pairing with Jake Walman proved highly effective throughout the series, despite Walman’s struggles in the last game. Additionally, Klingberg’s performance alongside Darnell Nurse in Game 6 was particularly strong, making it worthwhile to seriously consider keeping them together moving forward. This adjustment would then allow Bouchard to pair up with either Kulak or Walman. Personally, I favour Kulak based on his outstanding recent play, though either partner would be a solid choice.

As for goaltending, I remain convinced the Oilers will still need Stuart Skinner in net. This isn’t meant as criticism of Calvin Pickard, whose competitive spirit clearly energizes the team. However, he allowed a questionable goal last night that might have warranted pulling him from the game. Meanwhile, although Adin Hill wasn’t at his best during the Minnesota series, he’s still a highly capable goaltender. Ultimately, Skinner is likely to play a significant role in the upcoming matchup.

That’s a wrap for this tactical review of Game 6. We’ll be back this weekend with an in-depth tactical preview of the Oilers’ upcoming series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Enjoy these days off. Buckle up, because more thrilling hockey action awaits!